Whiskey in the Jar
by imagineHP
Summary: It's 1976. A new group of radicals called the Death Eaters are rising to power. The political landscape is dominated by fear. Hogwarts, however, must continue as usual, and its students must learn how to forge relationships in the darkest of times. Times of great need force people together, and they must distinguish who they dislike and who they hate.
1. Hellos and Handshakes

Chapter 1- 'Hellos and Handshakes'

Lily Evans crinkled her nose at the smell of cigarette smoke that was floating through the compartment window. Closing her book angrily, she reached up and slammed the window shut. This was not a good way to start the year. She threw herself back into her seat and frowned at words on the page in front of her. "And he dreaded that mind: it revolted him…" She couldn't focus on Catherine and Heathcliffe at that moment in time. She just wanted her friends to arrive and the train to leave. Lily was never sure why she felt quite so impatient that morning, but she was very grateful for the entrance of her friend Amelia Bones a few minutes after.

"Milly!" she squeaked, jumping out of her seat.

"Lily!" squeaked Milly, wrapping her long arms around her friend. Amelia was much taller than Lily and much thinner too. She wore a knee length burnt orange dress and brown boots, which only seemed to make her look taller and thinner, like a mosquito. Just reaching her square chin was poker straight mousy brown hair, pulled back with a headband. Amelia was not a _beautiful_ girl. She was a _sensible_ girl. She had big brown eyes, a pointed nose and a touch of pale pink lipstick spread across her thin lips. She was austere, she was domineering, she was clever and, she thought, would've been a much better prefect than Lily. The two friends broke apart and giggled.

"How was your summer?" asked Lily, smiling.

"Oh you know, the usual, nothing to report," replied Amelia. She did not really care for small talk.

"Me too. Tuney's got a boyfriend so he was around the house all time, and you know…" Lily began to explain and Amelia put on her best listening face. It wasn't that she didn't care; it was just that she was finding it hard to like Lily at the moment. She had really wanted to be a prefect. Amelia knew exactly why she felt so jealous that morning, and she was very grateful for the entrance of her friend Dorcas Meadowes a few moments later.

"Hey girlies!" squealed Dorcas, arms out with two shopping bags swinging from her hands.

"Dorcas!" squealed Lily and Amelia in unison. They friends shared an awkward hug, with Amelia stooping, Dorcas reaching, and Lily trying to balance herself between the two. Amelia pulled away first and Lily said-

"Dorcas you're so tanned! When did you get back from Corfu?"

"Yesterday! I miss it already!" Dorcas collapsed dramatically on to the seat beside her. Dorcas was a _beautiful_ girl. She had glossy black hair that fell below her waist, which was tiny and synched with a brown leather skirt. On her top she wore a maroon tank top over a white shirt, which provided a stark contrast to her already olive toned but now dark tanned skin. But her eyes, her eyes were what made her beautiful. Big, round and bright sky blue, they stood out of her face like precious jewels. Dorcas was the sort of girl that boys stared at when they crossed in the corridor. But she was not a _clever_ girl. She was beautiful, she was kind, she was a hard worker, but she had not done well in her O.W.L.s .She was desperately hoping her friends did not know that she had only just scraped into N.E.W.T. muggle studies and care of magical creatures. Dorcas did not know why she felt so nervous to tell her friends that day, but she was grateful for the entrance of her friend Emmeline Vance a few moments later.

"Em!" cried Lily, Amelia and Dorcas, running over to their friend. Emmeline was tired, but she hugged her friends enthusiastically. As her friends fussed over her and barraged her with questions about her summer, Emmeline rubbed her eyes and yawned sleepily. She played with her tight black ringlets and thought about Hogwarts. She was glad to be going back the wizarding world. Emmeline was a _pretty_ girl. Her dark, clear skin was framed by a mass of black ringlets and her hazel eyes sparkled in the morning sun. Her beige corduroys were tailored to her shapely legs, and the dull orange paisley ruffles of her shirt complemented her skin tone, and her orange lipstick, perfectly. She yawned. She _was_ pretty, but tiredness clung her to her face and no amount of makeup could hide it. Emmeline did not want her friends to know how much she was struggling at home. She did not want them to know that her Dad had left and she was responsible for her brothers and sisters. Emmeline was pretty, she was clever, she was funny, but she was tired, boy, was she tired. Emmeline knew why she felt so tired that day, so she was glad for the entrance of her friend Edith Tighe a few moments later. The second Edith had entered the train began to roll out of the station, she must have been one of the last to get on.

"Tigsy!" screamed the other four girls in the compartment, jumping to share the last group hug of the day. Edith Tighe or 'Tigsy' as her friends called her placed her cigarette in her mouth to hug her friends. She didn't usually partake in hugging, but she considered this a good enough occasion for an exception.

"Why didn't you write?" asked Lily, her green eyes wide as she looked at her friend.

"Because Tigsy never writes," Amelia sighed, "It's good to see you again Tigs,"

"Yeah it is," piped up Dorcas.

It's good to see you lot again too," replied Tigsy, removing her cigarette from between her pink lips. Tigs's skin was like freshly fallen and untouched snow, only broken by her blood-like lips and stone-like eyes. She had a light flush in her cheeks and a dusting of freckles across her nose. Her hair was a bright coppery red, its curls twisted up on top of her head like a much more distressed version Lucille Ball's. She wore an ankle length grey woollen coat, Dr Martin shoes and a very short grey dress. Thick black eyeliner framed her stormy eyes. She had long, slim fingers adorned with many rings. Tigsy was not pretty. Tigsy was striking. She was extremely beautiful, but she was harsh, cutting and intimidating. Tigsy liked school, so she knew exactly why she was so happy when the train began to roll out of the station and London disappeared off into the distance.

* * *

"Em,"

"Em"

"Emmeline"

"Emmeline Vance will you wake up!" Amelia's shrill voice pierced the cold air. Emmeline woke with a start.

"We're here Em," said Dorcas, glancing out the window as if to check that the train had stopped in the right place. Amelia took her bag off the overhead space, Emmeline rubbed sleep from her eyes, Dorcas pulled the curtains back over the window, Lily shuffled between her feet and Tigs placed a fresh cigarette between her lips.

"Can you at least wait until we're off the train?" asked Lily. Tigs gave her a pointed look.

"I've gone all day without a fag because you don't like the smell Evans-"

"Then I think you can manage another five minutes," Lily altered her harsh tone, "Please,"

Tigs reluctantly put the cigarette back into her pocket and waited for the rest of the girls. Once they were done, the five roommates left the train together.

Hogsmeade station was bustling with students and icy cold. Tigs pulled her coat around herself, covering her school robes. She could see her breath in the air, the cold biting at her face and neck. She breathed a happy sigh. Autumn. Her favourite season, followed by winter. Tigs loved the cold.

"Tigs, you coming?"

Tigs turned to see her friends heading towards the carriages. My god did she want a smoke. Lily looked at her friend imploringly.

"It's alright Evans, I'll walk" Tigs raised the cigarette from earlier to indicate why.

"I really do wish you would quit Tigsy" Leaving this remark with Tigs, Lily turned and headed towards the carriages. Tigs considered this for a moment, before taking out her lighter and flicking it. She took a deep breath in and felt herself relax. She took another breath of her cig before searching the station for the Marauders. She caught sight of them, all four of them, stood next to the Hogsmeade sign, and headed over.

"TIGSAY!" bellowed Sirius on sight of Tigs, he jogged over and put his arm around her shoulders. "How's life been treating you Tigs?"

"Aye, not bad not bad," replied Tigs, "And you Black? Family still psycho?"

"They don't come much worse than mine, Tigs my girl," Sirius replied grinning.

"Alright Tigs?" shouted James Potter, heading his way over the station toward them, "Where've you been all summer?"

"C'mon James you should know by now that Tigs never writes," said Remus Lupin, "How are you Tigs?"

"I'm good mate and yourself?" laughed Tigs.

"I'm alright yeah," replied Remus, leaning in to hug Tigs. James hugged her too, and Tigs took another drag from her cigarette.

"Hello Peter, how was your summer?" said Tigs. Peter Pettigrew made a small squeaking noise and then raised his hand as though he had forgotten something and walked off. The Marauders roared with laughter.

"I have definitely missed your ability to make Peter squirm Tigs," laughed Sirius, whilst James and Peter tried to control themselves. The four of them caught up with each other until the station had cleared and then began to walk up to the castle together. The last carriage had long gone, and the four thoroughly enjoyed the quiet stroll up to the castle, smoking as they went.

The four Gryffindors strolled into the Great Hall late, the last first year being sorted into Ravenclaw. Lily had saved a seat for Tigs but there was no space for the Marauders, obviously. Lily hated James Potter. Lily was not a hateful person, but James Potter, something about him just rubbed her up the wrong way. Lily too _was_ a beautiful girl. She had long auburny-red hair and bright green eyes. Her skin was like porcelain and all of her features were soft and pretty. She was classically pretty- soft, cute. Considering that her and Tigs had many similar features- red hair, pale skin- the two couldn't be more different. Physically in that Tigs was unusual, she was almost ethereal, her cheekbones and jawline were defined, her features sharp and clean. Whereas Lily was like an oil painting, her features soft, gentle and friendly. Their personalities reflected their looks, Tigs being somewhat cold and often intimidating, Lily warm and approachable. But they got on extremely well. I suppose opposites _do_ attract. Tigs took her seat with her room mates and Dumbledore said a few words before the plates filled up and they enjoyed the welcoming feast as usual.

* * *

Bellies full of food and warm feeling of drowsiness descending upon them made all the students glad to retire to their dormitories that evening. Lily and Remus lead the Gryffindors up to the common room, as was their job as prefects. Lily's roommates waited for her on a plush couch in the common room whilst she directed the last few first years up to their dormitories. It didn't take her long, and soon the five girls made their way up the familiar passage to their room. As usual, the room hadn't changed at all over the summer, and the girls each collapsed on to their respective bed. Emmeline felt her eyes closing as soon as she sat down and had to fight back sleep as she changed into her pyjamas.

"Wait!" squeaked Dorcas, "I have presents for you all from Corfu," She raised the shopping bags she was carrying on the train.

"I was going to give you them on the train but Em fell asleep," She reached into the first bag and pulled out a set of shiny pewter scales, which she handed to Lily. Lily practically glowed with happiness as she threw her arms around Dorcas.

"Lily it's nothing, honestly," came Dorcas muffled voice through Lily's embrace. Lily pulled away and thanked Dorcas again before returning to inspect the scales further, a huge grin still spread across her pretty face. Dorcas pulled out a gold watch attached to a necklace for Amelia, who loved all things orderly, and a foe-glass for Emmeline, who was extremely passionate about becoming an auror. The final present she pulled out was probably the biggest of the lot, but not the most expensive. It was a bewitched record player, designed to change tracks or pause by a clap or snap of the fingers, and she presented this to Tigs. After hugs were exchanged and 'thank you's and 'you're welcome's excessively repeated, the girls collapsed into bed and an almost immediate sleep. All but Tigs were sound asleep within a few minutes, but Tigs sat on the window sill, smoking a cigarette out of the window. She looked over the grounds of the castle and, despite the cold air seeping in through the window, felt distinctly warm inside. This was going to be a good year.

* * *

Hi everyone!

Thanks for reading this, it's my first fan fiction and I hope you enjoy it! Please review and tell me which characters you like and which you don't. Just to let you know this story will include many elements of James and Lily's relationship, but it will also explore the side stories of the other characters and be predominately based around my original character Tigs.

Thanks again,

ImagineHP


	2. Lies and Liasons

Chapter 2- Lies and Liaisons

"All I'm saying Tigs is that now I'm a prefect, I'm going to have to start pulling you up on your uniform, so if you could just stop breaking the uniform code-"

"C'mon Evans don't be like that," started Tigsy

"Yeah Lily people don't want to listen to you banging on about being a prefect," barked Amelia, a little unexpectedly. Tigsy didn't react, continuing to eat her breakfast.

"As I was about to say," began Tigs, shooting a look at Amelia, "Was that my uniform isn't that bad, and as long as you look like you're telling me off for it whenever a teacher comes by then it doesn't matter the rest of the time,"

"I guess so but I don't want to get in trouble-" pleaded Lily

"You won't," said Tigs through a mouth of food, "I will. And I don't care, so it's sorted," Lily looked down at her breakfast, unconvinced. She wasn't keen on Tigs' total disregard for the rules, it reminded her a little too much of a certain Quidditch captain. Tigs had a tendency to wear a very short pinafore, long socks and Dr Martins, which was very fashionable and very mod, but it certainly wasn't to the teachers taste. Lily readjusted her own uniform, straightening her tie. She looked over at Tigs, pinafore dresses weren't even part of the uniform she thought. Lily's mind boggled at how Tigs had got away with this for so long. She hadn't really noticed it herself until she became a prefect. Lily's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a cold unpleasant voice that she unfortunately recognised instantly.

"Morning Tigsy," came the voice of Evan Rosier, a Slytherin and one of the few people Lily hated more than James Potter. He wrapped his cruel, muscular arms around Tigs' waist from behind.

"Get your slimy hands off me Rosier," snarled Tigs, coolly. She was used to dealing with Rosier's wandering hands. Tigs was rarely angry, she didn't get angry, she only got scary and when Tigs got scary, things happened.

"You know you want it Tigs," smirked Rosier, leaning in to kiss her cheek. Tigs jumped out of her seat.

"Do you really wanna do this Rosier? You know what happened last time," The 'last time' that Tigs referred to resulted in Rosier and his friend Nicolai Mulciber spending a week in the hospital wing.

"I really wanna do you," replied Rosier. At this Tigs' expression changed. Lily, Amelia, Emmeline and Dorcas all knew what that meant. They had seen it before. The Marauders, who had just strolled in, knew what that look meant too.

"Is there a problem here?" snapped Sirius, squaring up to Rosier.

"No problem at all Sirius. Rosier was just leaving," said Tigs'. Her expression didn't change, and she didn't break eye contact with Rosier. Her eyes grew even stormier than usual. She held her wand ready underneath in her pocket. She could hex Rosier in a heartbeat.

"Not without you I'm not," replied Rosier. Tigs flicked her wand casually and Rosier's nose shattered, blood streaming down his robes. Rosier gave the Gryffindors one last watery glare before storming over to the Slytherin table, his hands full of blood and perhaps a few hidden tears.

"Nice one Tigsy," beamed James. Tigs' face returned to its usual apathetic expression, and she sat down again. She didn't look at Lily, who was clearly trying to get her attention, until she tapped Tigs on the shoulder. Tigs looked up reluctantly to see Lily mouth the question 'Are you okay?'. Tigs nodded and returned to her breakfast, boy did she want a cig.

James stabbed a sausage with his fork and took a bite. "Where are the timetables?" he chomped, his mouthful of food. Lily rolled her eyes. "McGonagall's got them," replied Amelia before Lily could open her mouth. Prefects usually gave people that sort of information. "I'll get them," said Remus, pushing up off the table. The Gryffindors watched him go before Emmeline spoke-

"I think Rosier is reporting you to Slughorn," she said, pointing over to the Slytherin table. Tigs looked up from her plate at the Slytherin table and then looked down again.

"James, fancy a smoke?" James looked up at her, his cheeks bulging with food.

"Tigsy please can we just have one nice meal together without you going off for a cig?" interjected Lily.

"Yeah c'mon Tigs give it a rest will you?" pleaded Emmeline

"Yeah please Tigs," begged Amelia.

"Alright!" snapped Tigs, rolling her eyes. She looked over at Dorcas who was unusually quiet. She normally had plenty to say about Tigs' smoking habits. James carried on with his meal as though he had had no interruption. Sirius was quiet too; he was reading Quidditch Through the Ages over his bacon. Remus sat down without any of them noticing, despite the fact that it was quiet.

"Right here you go everyone, Tigs, Sirius, James, Lily, Em, Amelia, Peter and... hmm Dorcas yours doesn't seem to be here but I'm sure I-"

"Here it is! It was stuck to mine," interrupted Sirius. Sirius offered the timetable to Dorcas. She blushed, her face going bright red, and then snatched the schedule out of his hand and left.

"What was that all about?" asked James smirking. Tigs shrugged. Lily again rolled her eyes. Normally she would have picked a fight with James over everything, but this year she had made a promise to herself, and Tigs, to simply ignore him. So that was what she was desperately trying to do. He hadn't even done anything yet, he just irritated her.

"Has anyone got a free period first thing today?" Tigs looked at the group imploringly. They all looked down at their timetables before looking up and shaking their heads.

"I do," said Remus, and Tigs breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"Cool," she said flippantly. Tigs never let anyone know what she was thinking. Inside she was glad that she would have some company during her free, but on the outside, it seemed as though she couldn't care less. The school bell rang out above the sounds of the great hall and everyone except Tigs and Remus got up to leave. Once they had gone and were well out of earshot, Tigs turned to Remus-

"Smoke?" She asked. Remus blinked before replying 'yes' and the two headed outside. The air was cool and crisp but, much to Tigs' distaste, sunbeams still pushed their way through the clouds, warming up the day. Tigs plonked herself down on a grassy knoll overlooking the lake and Remus sat next to her. She slipped a cigarette out of her pocket and lit it with the end of her wand. Remus watched her inhale.

"Here," she said handing him the cigarette.

"Oh, no thanks Tigs,"

"Remus I just saw you looking at it, have a puff its fine I've got more,"

"No it's not that, it's just that I don't." he hesitated to gauge her reaction, "I don't smoke."

"But you're one of the Marauders,"

"Yeah I am but... I've always been too scared to try it in front of James and Sirius in case I do it wrong,"

Tigs smiled, she liked Remus, he was an unlikely Marauder.

"Here try it now, it easy honestly, look you just-" she demonstrated it and then handed the cig over to Remus.

"Now you try," Remus put the cigarette to his lips and breathed deeply. Tigs coaxed him on and he attempted to exhale. He began to do exactly as he feared- cough and splutter.

"That's alright," laughed Tigs, patting his back, "Everyone coughs on the first go, give it another try," Remus tried again and again and soon he was smoking just fine. His thin face lit up with a smile as he and Tigs smoked that cigarette. Tigs stubbed the end out in the grass and ruffled Remus' light brown hair.

"Congrats, you're now officially a chain smoker," she said. Remus laughed loudly and Tigs giggled a little. They then smiled- and these smiles weren't just any average smiles. Tigs was known across school for her ability to light up a room with her smile. It all started in 4th year when James decided to use a jelly leg hex on Nicolai Mulciber. It was in Charms and Professor Flitwick had just left the room to fetch some books. Mulciber had started on James on the grounds of Slytherin losing a Quidditch game to Gryffindor the day before. James had therefore hexed him so violently that all except Mulciber were in fits of hysterical laughter. When Flitwick returned he removed the hex from Mulciber and docked 50 points from Gryffindor, which put most of the class in a very sour mood. Tigs, however, didn't care much about house points and was still amused by the jelly leg hex. So when Flitwick invited her to the front of the class to perform a spell, she couldn't help but smile and the whole class began to smile with her. The impact was so much greater as well because Tigs wasn't a smiley person in general. So in reality, Tigs' smile was only seen as so good because James Potter had used a jelly leg hex on Nicolai Mulciber in 4th year charms.

Now Remus was very different. His smile did not have the same fame as Tigs, but not because it didn't warrant it. Remus' smile, on the surface was relatively average, hence why it often got lost between the toothy grin of James Potter and the soft smirk of Sirius Black. But it was not Remus' mouth that smiled, it was his eyes. When Remus smiled, his light green eyes sparkled with a sort of melancholy happiness. It was something that people never seemed to notice. Tigs did though. She always noticed little things about people. In fact, most of her opinions on people were based on whether the little things that they did irritated her or not. Naturally this made her very particular about who she liked and disliked. Tigs liked the way that Lily braided her hair when she was bored. She liked the way Amelia chewed her pen when she was thinking. She liked the way that Emmeline's handwriting scrawled over the paper unevenly and she liked Dorcas' restlessness. She liked James loud bellowing laugh and Sirius' sense of humour. But most of all, she liked Remus' smile. But right then at that moment, she didn't like Remus very much at all, as he had just interrupted her train of thought.

"Tigs that stuff with Rosier this morning, are you sure…" Remus breathed, he knew Tigs didn't really like questions, "Are you sure you're alright?"

Tigs looked down at the cigarette stub on the grass beside her.

"I'm fine," she replied. Remus looked at her inquisitively. He knew better than to push her on this. Tigs took out a dog eared book with yellowed pages and began to read. She didn't like questions. She didn't like being distracted from her thoughts. She especially didn't Remus' combination of the two.

* * *

Lily was struggling. She was surrounded by a mass of students all trying to make their way down the same corridor. She felt suffocated as she tried to push her way through a gaggle of first years. After several minutes of pushing, shoving, and sneaky jabs with her elbows, Lily managed to get to the Great Hall in one piece. As she reached the entrance, so did Tigs.

"Good timing Lil'," said Tigs, smiling at her friend.

"Hey Tigs, how was your free?" smiled Lily.

"It was alright, I got some reading done…" Tigs trailed off, she was staring into the middle distance. Lily followed her gaze until she saw what Tigs was staring at. Professor Slughorn, Head of Slytherin house, was making his way across the hall towards them, followed closely by Evan.

"Edith," began Slughorn. Lily looked at Tigs to gauge her reaction; she hated being called by her first name. Tigs remained expressionless and Slughorn continued. "It has come to my attention that you used magic to break Evan's nose this morning over breakfast. As you know, this is not acceptable behaviour and I will have to dock-"

"I was provoked," Tigs interrupted, her voice cold and seeming to resonate across the hall. Slughorn stuttered and tried to respond.

"Y-Y-You were provoked, you say? Well, well, well, how? How so?"

"Rosier called Lily a mudblood," Tigs' voice rang out, and Lily tried to hide the shock on her face. Rosier didn't.

"What?! No I didn't you lying little bitc-" he started, defiance and annoyance in his voice.

"Yes you did," replied Tigs coolly, "Lily told him to tuck his shirt in, with her being a prefect and all, so he called her that name. I was only defending my friend Professor." Slughorn looked between the two girls with a confused expression.

"I am very sorry girls, you can go. I will deal with Mr Rosier," he said softly. Tigs walked off, a small smile on her face. She was happy that her lie had produced the desired effect. Lily and Tigs walked up to the Gryffindor table silently and sat down. As soon as they touched the seat, Lily whipped round to face Tigs.

"What the hell did you tell him that for?" she whispered angrily.

"Wasn't it obvious?" replied Tigs, furrowing her brows.

"Obvious? Are you kidding?"

"I said that because I knew that Slughorn would take it seriously. He has to address that, Rosier has to get into trouble for using such a slur. I mean, Slughorn was hardly going to do anything if I told him that I broke Rosier's nose because he flirted with me,"

Lily mulled this over for a moment in her mind. Although she was a little annoyed at Tigs, she decided that she was probably right. Slughorn would not ignore such an accusation, especially when Rosier had a history of calling people mudbloods and that Lily was one of Slughorn's favourite pupils.

"Shall we head down to Defense?" came Tigs voice, interrupting Lily's thoughts. She agreed, and the two girls left the Great Hall and headed down to the dungeons, the events of the day still playing on Lily's mind.

* * *

Hello everyone!

Thanks for reading in this far! Thank you to my first reviewer all ur fave characters in one! Please review, please be kind though as this is my first fan fiction. Also please let me know your thoughts on the plot, characters etc. I would love to know your thoughts on Tigs (my OC) and whether you believe everything she has said in this chapter. Also let me know who/what you would like to see more of in the future.

Thanks again lovelies,

ImagineHP


	3. Knock-outs and Noses

Chapter 3 - Knock-outs and Noses

"Quiet," came a cool commanding voice, bursting through the noise of the chatting class. The entire class whipped around. A tall, pale man with dark hair and dusty green robes stood at the back of the classroom.

"I am Professor Greengrass," he said, flicking his wand. A piece of chalk levitated to scratch his name upon the chalkboard. The class remained transfixed, watching the Professor walk to the front of the classroom. He stopped when he reached the front, twisting around.

"Get up," he snapped. The class stood up, exchanging confused expressions.

"Stand by the wall over there," Again the class obliged. Tigs caught James' eye and he smirked at her. This was exactly the sort of lesson James usually liked to disrupt. He was about to say something to Tigs but found himself interrupted by the sound of chairs and tables scraping against the stone floor. Professor Greengrass had moved them all to one side of the class room, creating a huge space in the middle.

"Today," he announced, "We are going to practice offensive magic through the medium of duelling." Excited whispers spread across the room, but died down quickly under the domineering gaze of Professor Greengrass.

"It has often been said that although it is hard to stand up to your enemies, it is even harder to stand up to your friends. I have spoken to your Heads of House to determine your friendship groups. In this increasingly dangerous world, the Imperius curse can easily turn your friends into foes. So today I want you to duel your friends." Again the class burst into whispers and many looks of surprise were thrown around the room.

"I appreciate that this is no easy task," began Greengrass, silencing the class once more, "So if I suspect that any of you are holding back, then you will receive a detention," The N.E.W.T class looked around wide-eyed, trying to judge which of their friends they would have to duel.

"I will start at the end of the alphabet, so…" he scanned a piece of parchment, "Emmeline Vance, you will go first and your partner is..." he scanned the parchment again, "Edith Tighe." The two girls whirled around to look at each other and the whole class had to hold back a gasp. Not only were Emmeline and Tigs good friends, they were also two very powerful witches. This was going to be interesting.

Tigs stood at one end of the room, Emmeline at the other. Greengrass stood between them, conjuring a protective wall to prevent either girl from a false start.

"Okay first we bow," he said, and the girls obliged, "Ready your wands," Tigs raised her wand; Emmeline tightened the grip on hers.

"Duel!" barked Greengrass, removing the wall between them. Both girls flicked their wands but Tigs got there first-

"Incarcerous!" Ropes flew out of the end of Tigs wand and bound tightly around Emmeline's legs. She was knocked off her feet, the impact against the stone floor winding her. She struggled to catch her breath, lifting her wand up and aiming at a shape she assumed was Tigs.

"Aculeus vehementer!" she barked. Her spell hit Tigs on her left calf and her legs buckled underneath her. Pain rushed through her leg and it began to swell and throb. Stinging jinx. Tigs bit her lip in pain and rubbed her calf. She should have seen that coming. The sound of movement forced her to look up. Emmeline had removed the ropes binding her and was about to stand up.

"Petrificus Totalus!" snapped Tigs, surprising herself. This was quite a novice spell to use, but it was obvious that Emmeline had not been expecting it. The spell hit her square in the chest and she fell, frozen, to the ground. Tigs pushed herself up off the ground and limped her way over to Emmeline. She stood over her frozen body, panting, wand aimed at Emmeline's chest, and turned to Greengrass.

"Well done Miss Tighe," he said, clapping slowly, "Quick and neat, you may go to the Hospital Wing about your leg,"

Tigs looked at him, perplexed. She had never known a teacher like this. She slipped her wand back into her pocket, turned on her heel and left, still contemplating the bizarre yet wonderful nature of the lesson she had just had. She headed towards the Hospital Wing, all the while wondering about the whereabouts of Emmeline.

* * *

Madame Montessori fixed the effects of the stinging jinx in a matter of seconds, using a small vile of purple liquid. So within ten minutes of leaving the lesson, Tigs found herself roaming around the first floor corridor aimlessly, wondering whether or not she had been expected to go back to class. She looked at her watch. The lesson was about half way through, so Tigs opted to dawdle down the corridor, taking her own sweet time to get back to the lesson. She could always say that Madame Montessori had kept her for longer than she had. Tigs listened to the sound of her Dr Martins against the stone floor. It took her a minute to realise that her footsteps didn't sound quite right. Something about the sound was… _off_. It was like the sound wasn't travelling through the whole corridor. Then she realised why. _Muffliato_. She whirled around to see Rosier with two of his equally cruel friends, Nicolai Mulciber and Avery, who had been using the Muffliato charm to sneak up on her. Before she could react, Rosier's fist collided with her nose. The impact knocked Tigs off her feet and she smashed painfully into the cold stone floor. Hot blood poured from her nose and splattered across the stone. Tigs' vision was blurred, the corridor spun around her.

"Get her up," she heard a rough voice from above her. After some shuffling, she felt sharp finger nails scratch against her scalp. Mulciber pulled Tigs to her feet by her hair and threw her against the stone wall. She could barely stand from dizziness and pain. Rosier moved to face her, wrapping his cruel fingers around her neck and squeezing. Tigs felt her windpipe contract under the pressure and desperately tried to gasp for air.

"If you ever pull a stunt like that mudblood thing again you little bitch," he breathed, "I will murder you". Tigs could feel his hot breath on her cheeks but couldn't think about anything except _air_. She felt the world going blurry, and her eyes began to glaze over.

"Evan stop, you're going to kill her," said Mulciber, or was it Avery?

"I just want to teach her a lesson, I've got four weeks' worth of detentions because of this cow," Rosier squeezed harder and Tigs' eyes began to roll into the back of her head. She was going to _die_. She could feel her body shutting down when a familiar voice shouted from the other end of the corridor. Rosier released his grip and Tigs dropped to the floor, gasping for air. Her breathing was raspy and hoarse, and she couldn't get enough air in to replace that which she had lost. She felt soft hands on her shoulder as someone lifted her gently to sit up straight. She leant against the wall, her vision still blurry. The shape of a person came slowly into focus. James Potter was kneeling in front of her, a concerned expression on his face.

"Tigs," he said sharply, "Tigs! C'mon Tigs look at me," He gently tapped the side of her face to help regain her focus. It worked. Suddenly Tigs could think, see and feel again, like someone had just switched the world back on. A sharp pain rushed to her nose and she felt heat on her face and neck. The punch. She had almost forgotten.

"Tigs are you okay? Who was that? What happened? Talk to me Tigs," pleaded James. Tigs raised a bloody hand and pointed to her nose.

"B-B-Broken," she stuttered. Her voice was weak and barely more than a whisper. James looked confused for a moment before realisation flooded into his face. He pulled out his wand and flicked it.

"Episkey," he uttered. Tigs' nose felt very hot, and then very cold. The pain seemed to seep out of it very quickly, dissipating through her face and then disappearing altogether.

"Thanks," she breathed, a little louder this time, her voice returning thanks to the relief of pain.

"Hold still, I'm not finished yet," said James. He flicked his wand again, this time speaking the word 'Tergeo' and the blood covering most of Tigs' face and neck vanished.

"Now are you going to tell me what the hell just happened?"

* * *

" _Shit_ Tigs," breathed James, "We have to report this, and when the others find out! They'll go crazy, I mean Sirius, I think we'll have to _restrain_ him-"

" _No_ ," interrupted Tigs, James stopped perplexed. "I don't want to report this, and I don't want you tell any of the others,"

"What? Why?" James was startled. He looked at Tigs square on. She sighed and looked into his eyes. No. She definitely didn't want to tell them, and the reason was flooding across James' face.

"I don't want _that_ ," she snapped, pointing at James's face. James looked around in bewilderment, checking if there was anyone else the 'that' referred to.

"What?" he asked indignantly and slightly offended.

"I don't want everyone giving me _that_ look," she continued, "I don't want everyone looking at me with-" she could barely say the word, "- _pity_." James opened his mouth to speak but Tigs cut him off.

"I don't want to be some 'damsel in distress'. I don't want to be that girl who goes crying to the teachers about every little thing. I don't want people to talk to me in patronising tones or tell me how personally offended they are at this attack. I don't need pity. And I certainly don't need anyone going after Rosier and justifying it as being on my behalf when in reality it is just to serve their self-gratifying egoism," Each word Tigs said was dripping with disdain. She was adamant that she didn't want to tell anyone. James knew when he had a chance and when he was fighting a losing battle, and this case was most definitely the latter.

"Okay, that fine with me," he started, Tigs looking at him in disbelief, "But on one condition," Tigs rolled her eyes, "I won't tell anyone about this, if you allow me to escort you between lessons to ensure that this never happens again."

"Bloody hell James!" snapped Tigs.

"Your choice. either that or everyone knows," he shrugged. Tigs stared at him with annoyance. She studied his face and noticed that he had started to copy her own apathetic expression. His hazel eyes glittered underneath his spectacles and Tigs met them with her own. He really was handsome. She studied the curve of his face, his sharp jawline and, though not present at the time, toothy smile. she considered his offer as she looked at him, and the more she looked, the softer she became to the idea. James was her friend and she decided that she would let him have what he had asked for.

"Fine," she said coolly, "But you mustn't tell anyone,"

"Not a word replied James, "My lips are sealed." However, at that moment his lips broke apart into his familiar toothy grin. He stood up, turned to Tigs and helped her up slowly. Although her nose was no longer broken, the force of the fall had left her bones achy and she was more than grateful for James' help. Tigs smiled her famous smile at him and from that he gathered her meaning. He had known her long enough to know that a smile like that meant thank you.

"C'mon then Tigsy," he smiled and the pair set off down the first floor corridor, neither noticing that they were still holding the hand of the other.

* * *

Oooh! A little more dramatic chapter for you here. Please let me know what you think of the events in this chapter. I would love to hear your opinions on the characters and their relationships, and most importantly what you think might happen next! Please, please review, God knows I need it!

Thanks for taking time out of your day to read my imagination,

ImagineHP xxx


	4. Potions and Passions

Chapter 4-Potions and Passions

Lily was in a good mood. Her first day was going well and she was enjoying school more than ever before. She too shared the feeling that this year was going to be a good one. She made her way down the staircase quickly, her feet barely touching the floor. She was heading to Potions on her own, as Tigs had left the last lesson early to visit the hospital wing. She walked briskly through the corridors, thinking about the previous class. She had just had a particularly ferocious duel with her friend Amelia. Although neither of them had been hurt, there had been unmistakable venom in Amelia's voice that Lily could not get out of her mind. She opened the door to the Potions room and burst in. she was a few minutes late, but Professor Slughorn wasn't there yet, so, breathing a sigh of relief, she scanned the room for Tigs. It didn't take her long to spot her mass of curly red hair. Lily walked over and any happiness inside her instantly died. She was sat with Remus on her left and James, a spare seat next to him, on her right. Lily threw her bag down next James and plonked herself down, she was seething.

"Aright Evans?" James' toothy grin appeared in the corner of her eye. Lily breathed slowly, curbing her anger. He couldn't be that bad.

"Hello James," she forced the corners of her mouth to curl into half-hearted smile. She glanced over at Tigs, she was enjoying an in-depth conversation with Remus and, although she desperately wanted to, she couldn't disrupt them. She had always encouraged Tigs to be friendlier with Remus. He was good for her. The other Marauders only got her into trouble or encouraged her introversion. Remus was different. He was an _unlikely_ Marauder. And Tigs' and his friendship was _unlikely_.

"Evans?" Lily whirled around. Slughorn was sitting at his desk and the room was abuzz with chatter. 'Draught of Living Death' was scrawled across the chalkboard. James Potter was staring at her in disbelief.

"I tell you what Evans," he began, "I don't get why all the teachers think you're a God send. You don't even listen."

"I do normally! It's your…presence…its distracting me," Lily snarled.

"I didn't realise you found me that attractive Evans,"

"What?! No you know I didn't mean that-"

"I mean I've always known you've wanted to shag me but Jesus Evans-"

"SHUT UP!" barked Lily. The whole class fell silent instantaneously and stared at Lily and James. Lily blushed, staring at the Potion recipe without reading a word. Soon the rest of class went back to their conversations and Lily looked up. She caught a concerned glance from Tigs before turning to James.

"Sorry," she muttered. He looked momentarily shocked, before returning to his usual expression of insincerity. Lily turned back to the recipe, lining up the ingredients on the side before attempting to cut a Sopophorous bean.

"Listen Evans," began James, and Lily looked up, "I get that your on edge because of-" James glanced over to Severus Snape and Lily followed his eye before turning sharply away. James continued "- and I know you don't like me, but can we both agree to be civil?"

"Of course," began Lily, but James cut her off.

"And I want to make a deal with you."

"What?"

"I bet that I can make you like me by, hmmm, let's say Halloween."

"What are the stakes?" Lily took a business like tone.

"If I succeed, which I will, you have to give me 10 galleons, if I fail, which I won't, I will sit next to Snape for every Potions lesson this year,"

Lily smirked. "Deal," she said, a look of contempt on her face. Winning this bet would be so easy.

* * *

"I just don't get why he has to go everywhere with you," said Lily irritably.

"I told you, I lost a bet," Tigs sighed. The two girls were becoming increasingly annoyed at each other. Lily was not happy that James Potter seemed to be hanging around them all the time and Tigs was not happy that she had to keep explaining why. Of course Tigs was not telling Lily the truth, but that didn't stop its repetition being tedious. They were in the dormitory together, Tigs perched on the window sill, smoking, and Lily sat by the dressing table, doing her makeup. Tigs jumped down off the sill and walked over to the record player. She needed a way to break the tension, so she thumbed through her records before choosing one and playing it at a loud volume.

" _Pushing through the market square, so many mothers sighing. News had just come over, we had five years left to cry in"_

The voice of David Bowie poured into the room and the girls' irritability was pushed out. Tigs strolled over to the dressing table, took a bobble out of a draw and wrapped it around her hair. Her hair did not sit in ponytails well. Lily collapsed on to the bed, mouthing all the lyrics dramatically and gesturing with her hands as though she was performing to a live audience.

"How do I look?" asked Tigs dejectedly. Lily sat up and scanned her friend from head to toe. She was wearing her Quidditch uniform. Although it was the same as everyone else's, there was something distinctively Tigs about her outfit. The red cape was much more of a plum colour, and the cream trousers were greyed. Tigs' outfit was much more muted than the original uniform. Even the golden letters forming the name 'Tighe' on her back seemed more mustard coloured than the usual lemon.

"Beautiful," smiled Lily, "As always,"

"Shut up," sighed Tigs and Lily laughed. Tigs picked up her bat and left, rolling her eyes jokily at Lily as she did it. Lily chuckled to herself. She knew Tigs hated compliments.

* * *

"It's getting chilly isn't it?" shivered Lily, her voice visible in the air like smoke.

"I always forget how cold it is here, we do not have this problem in Corfu," mumbled Dorcas, her scarf pulled up over her nose and teeth loudly chattering beneath it.

"Well it always seems like Hogwarts instantly freezes over as soon as it hits October," said Remus, sitting down next to the two girls. There was a thick mist across the Quidditch pitch and the stands looked as though they had been deserted long ago. The team walked out on to the pitch and James, the Captain, began to give them a speech. For some forgettable reason, Lily, Dorcas and Remus had agreed to watch the Quidditch practice. As they sat shivering in the cold, all three wished they hadn't. Lily pulled out her wand, her gloved hand trembling, and muttered through frozen lips. Purple and blue flames erupted from the end, warming them up quickly.

"That's so much better," breathed Dorcas, before a rush of cold air interrupted her relief. Tigs had just zoomed past, in pursuit of a bludger. James was in front of one of the goal posts and Tigs smacked a bludger away from him. It flew to the other side of the pitch, where it was chased by the other Gryffindor beater Benjy Fenwick. Lily rubbed her hands together and sighed. She liked Quidditch. No. She _loved_ Quidditch. But she felt nervous.

"I sort of hate this," she said. The other two turned around to face her.

"Why?" asked Dorcas in disbelief.

"No I get it," began Remus, "I love Quidditch but watching my friends play puts me on edge,"

"That's how I feel too. I mean with Tigs being a beater as well, I always think that she's going to misjudge a shot and end up-" Lily stopped.

"I completely understand," sighed Remus as he turned to watch the practice. Lily smiled, and then squealed, as Tigs had very nearly been knocked off her broom by a bludger.

* * *

Amortentia. Why did it have to be amortentia? Of all the Potions in the entire world to make with James Potter, Slughorn had to choose amortentia. Lily worked quietly, James making the odd joke or comment here and there. She smiled at a few, laughed at some of the others. She was starting to appreciate his quick wit, and found him funny rather than annoying. The two worked well together, as he understood her method of working and she tolerated his. After the potion was put on to boil, Lily and James joined Tigs and Remus to chat while they waited.

"Right then idiots," laughed Tigs, "What are your guesses for how this will smell?" she pointed to the cauldron.

"I've got an idea," announced James, raising his hand, "Mine will smell like sex. You know that sweaty, moist sex smell," This was met by an 'Ewwwww' from Lily, a laugh from Tigs, and an uncomfortable chuckle from Remus.

"No seriously!" laughed Tigs, "What do you reckon?"

"Chocolate," said Lily.

"Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish," said James.

"Butterbeer," said Remus.

"New vinyls," said Tigs.

The four of them looked at each other and laughed. Their naivety and obvious inexperience with amortentia was evident by how far wrong these suggestions were. The loud ring of an alarm clock interrupted their conversation and signified the end of the boiling time for the potions. The four crowded around the two cauldrons and looked from one to the other.

"I have an idea," said Tigs, "We all have to tell each other what we smell BUT we can lie. It's our job to tell who is lying and who isn't,"

"Ooooh scandalous Tigs I like it," smirked James, "I'll go first,"

James could smell something metallic, like brass, no pewter, scales and aged paper, like in old books. There was something else too, rose perfume.

"As I thought, it smells like sex." He lied.

"Liar," smiled Tigs. She could see through lies easily, and this was a poor one.

"Go on then Tigsy, your turn," James smirked.

Tigs _could_ smell new vinyls, and fresh parchment with wet ink; it was someone who had messy handwriting, because the ink smell was far too strong. There was also a faint smell of cigarettes.

"I can smell ice cream from Florean Fortescue, and fresh soil," she lied.

"Truth," said Lily with confidence, she didn't think Tigs would care enough to make anything up, "My turn,"

Lily could smell Quidditch, no Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, and cigarettes. There was also a soapy smell wafting around in there too.

"I can smell chocolate and fresh vinyls-" she started.

"Lie!" barked Tigs and James simultaneously. Lily turned bright red before muttering "Your turn Remus,". Remus stepped forward and breathed in deeply.

Remus could smell metal, maybe iron and well-worn leather. He could also smell wool, it was a thick scratchy wool, and cigarettes. There was something else too, a rich cherry smell that was distantly familiar.

"I can't smell anything really," he lied.

"Liar!" barked Lily, James and Tigs in unison and the four burst into laughter. The school bell rang out loud and clear, and Slughorn dismissed them, reminding them one last time that their essays were due next week. The four friends left the room together and, although they laughed and joked frivolously, each contemplated the deep meaning behind what they had just smelled.

* * *

Hello faithful readers!

Thanks for reading further, as I know have taken my sweet time to get round to some Lily and James action. So, romance is in the air and I would love to know what you think about this chapter and particularly each characters amortentia smell. Thank you so much for the review **calypso** this chapter is for you. Please please please please please please review and keep reading! There are many plot twists and relationship developments in the future and I thank you all so much for giving me the time of day.

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP xxx


	5. Reading and Revelations

Chapter 5- Reading and Revelations 

Amelia desperately tried to tune out the loud giggles of her friends. They had just returned from what appeared to be a particularly raucous Potions lesson. Amelia breathed deeply and looked over at them. She did not know nor care to know James and Remus very well. She was fine with not knowing them at all. The only reason she might have made an effort with them was to get an invite to one of their infamous parties, but she was always guaranteed an invite through Tigs. She looked at Lily and averted her gaze quickly. She was still bitter about not getting the prefect position, and it had caused a disconnect between her and her friend. Then there was Tigs. Amelia could not recall ever having a personal conversation with Tigs, and could not fathom how she would react to it. It was very easy to jump to conclusions about Tigs, but not easy at all to be correct. In short, Amelia felt _isolated_.

* * *

Emmeline was surrounded by stacks of paper and books. Her writing hand was aching. She moved a ringlet of hair from over her eye and leaned back. Finishing her sentence, she dumped the quill back in the ink pot and breathed a long sigh. She was overwhelmed by homework. Granted, most of the stuff she was doing had been set a long time ago, and with hindsight she shouldn't have let it build up. She pulled her 'to-do' list out from her bag and examined it. She had been working in the library for two hours already, and it became evident she would have to work through lunch. It seemed to her that school, most particularly during exams, was like swimming. The main aim was to keep afloat, and after you managed that, you could try to swim. Emmeline was incapable of either of these. She was _drowning_.

* * *

Dorcas was sat at the dressing table in the dormitory. No one else was there and it was deathly quiet. She looked at the reflection staring back at her and sighed. She picked up her fluffy makeup brush and patted her face with powder. Her caramel skin was flawless anyway, so the action was completely unnecessary. She brushed through her dark waist length hair before throwing the hair brush down on to the dresser dejectedly. She sighed again, disappointed with her reflection. She was _pretty_ and she _knew_ that, but she wasn't the right _sort_ of pretty. She was in love. And she desperately wanted her love to be requited, but she knew she wasn't his type. She stood up, looking at her outfit. She had borrowed the dress from Tigs, although Tigs didn't know, and it didn't look quite right on her. The grey plaid didn't sit well with her skin tone. But Dorcas shook it off. If she was going to tell him, she had to do it now. She was _ready_.

* * *

Amelia stormed down the corridor, feeling an irrational anger at… well no one really. She was furious at someone, yet at the same time she wasn't cross with anyone at all. The effect was dizzying. She continued to march down the corridor, feeling tears filling up in her eyes. She broke into a sprint, heading towards Gryffindor tower. Her surroundings blurred into a smear of grey stone and dark oil paintings. She wanted to be alone, alone to be angry without interruption. She was imagining the blissful nature of an empty dormitory where she could brood when she turned a corner and ran head long into a person. Books flew through the air and hit the floor with innumerable and almighty bangs. Amelia felt herself fly backwards, knocking her elbows on the floor violently. The other person mirrored her, falling in the opposite direction. She lay on the cold stone for a minute, before sitting up and looking around perplexed. There were books and papers all around her, some still floating through the air, like ships against a current they were tossed back and forth methodically. Amelia examined the person before her, who she had violently knocked over. It was a girl, with long straight blonde hair and bright green eyes. Her skin was light, with a few freckles on her tall nose. It was Samantha Clearwater.

* * *

Emmeline had taken too much on. she hadn't known last year that there would be such demands on her time from home, so she had opted to take six subjects, as well as Ghoul Studies as an extra-curricular. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up. She had to manage the accounts for her mum as well, after her Dad had left, her mum had been forced to start another job and hire a baby sitter. Over the summer, Emmeline had been responsible for running the house, her mum getting back around midnight most nights, and leaving at six most mornings. Emmeline had been unsure as to whether she would be able to come to school this year, so written in neat black ink at the bottom of her 'to-do' list was "sort out accounts for mum". She rolled up the list and put it into her bag, it was only making her feel more overwhelmed. She scanned the pile of books before her, spotting _Advanced Rune Translation_ at the very bottom of the stack. She needed it for her homework, and there was no way she had time to restack all the books in order to get one from the bottom. She began to tease the book out slowly, like jenga, and supported the tower with her other hand. She managed to whip the book out and place it in front of her. She breathed a loud sigh of relief, opening the book at the contents page. She found the chapter she needed and threw the book open, it made a loud smack against the desk. The stack of books wobbled violently. Then, as though in slow motion, the tower began to fall, and Emmeline wincing, hit another stack and another. Like dominoes, the three piles of book toppled over on to each other and then on to the floor. Emmeline threw her head down on to the desk, groaning. This was exactly what she didn't need.

"Woah!" came a loud deep voice. Emmeline peered over the desk to see a good looking Ravenclaw in the year above, lying on the floor amidst all the books. It was Bertram Aubrey.

* * *

Dorcas took a deep breath. It shook like someone singing vibrato. She did one last check in the mirror before leaving the dormitory, filled with false confidence she had gained from a quick shot of firewhisky. She walked into the common room quietly, it was bursting with laughter. A group were playing a very loud and boisterous game of exploding snap. Dorcas walked over and sat on a plush arm chair opposite the game, watching it carefully. Very quickly it became evident why the game was so unruly; the group were betting with large amounts of money. Dorcas watched the group as they played the next round. It seemed as though Benjy Fenwick, Tigs' fellow Gryffindor beater, was losing the most money. he was well muscled, his arms bursting out of his school shirt. From his performance in Quidditch, he was clearly very powerful, and a body like his on anyone else would be very intimidating. But not Benjy. Benjy was kind. He was gentle and soft, and in reality, rather stupid. He was like a gentle giant. And the others playing the game were taking advantage of his susceptibility. The game ended relatively quickly and after a great deal of laughing, it seemed that the others were bored of scamming money out of Benjy Fenwick, and they dissipated. Now was Dorcas' chance. The boy she had liked for over a year now, was, abnormally, alone. She walked over to him and breathed in again, reassuring herself in her head. The boy turned to face her. He was incredibly handsome. He was incredibly funny. And that moment he was sporting his usual friendly smirk. It was Sirius Black.

* * *

"Sorry Sam," said Amelia breathlessly. Although she was no longer crying, tears were etched down her face and her eyes were red and puffy. Samantha took all this in, and any anger she had for Amelia bumping into her vanished.

"Don't worry about it," she smiled, pushing herself up off the ground. She offered a hand to help Amelia up, and the pair began to sort out the mess.

"There are a lot of books here," sniffed Amelia, her eyes still a little wet from crying.

"I was taking them back to the library for Professor Greengrass," Amelia gave her a quizzical look, "He was going to do it himself, but he's _super-hot_ so I offered," The two girls burst out laughing, and Amelia felt some of her anger and upset melt away. Amelia insisted that she would help Samantha to take the books back to the library. After handing the books back to the librarian and explaining the situation, the two girls left, finding themselves alone on the first floor corridor.

"Amelia," said Samantha, "You were crying when you bumped into me just then weren't you?" Amelia avoided her eye, before taking a deep breath and nodding.

"We can talk about it, if you want, or we can talk about something else," Samantha smiled kindly at her friend, "Whatever you want,"

* * *

"Are you okay?" squealed Emmeline, inspecting the boy in front of her.

"I'm fine," he laughed, "But maybe you shouldn't stack books like that again," Emmeline stared at him sternly for a minute but then, realising the softness of his tone, began laughing herself. She laughed a little too loud and for a little too long, which did not bode well with the librarian.

"Emmeline Vance, Bertram Aubrey, what in the world do you think you're doing?!" she barked, "And what has happened to my _book_ s?" The pair looked between each other, guiltily. The librarian watched their expressions before flicking her wand aggressively, which returned all the books to their shelves.

"You are both banned from working in the library for two weeks," she snapped, "And if you don't improve your attitude, then it will be much longer next time! Books are sacred!" She was a little frantic, practically screeching this last phrase. Her eyes were large and round, and one of them was twitching. It was a wonder that neither Emmeline nor Bertram laughed at her absurdity. But they didn't, in fact they very quickly turned around and left, finding themselves in the first floor corridor just a few moments after Samantha and Amelia had. Emmeline let out a load groan.

"What the _hell_ am I supposed to do now?"

* * *

"Hey Dorcas," said Sirius, taking a bite out of a liquorice wand. Dorcas froze. She just stared at him. He was _perfect_. He was devilishly handsome. Everything from his pale skin, his long, almost casually unkempt, black hair and his grey eyes to his smart, effortlessly elegant clothing was _perfect_. And Dorcas _knew_ she wasn't good enough. All year she had observed his taste in girls, and he was a fan of a type that she could never, not matter how hard she tried, hope to be. From what she could ascertain, from a distance, he liked _edgy_ girls. He liked the girls who were trashing stages at Sex Pistol concerts, the ones who knew every word to the songs of the wizarding band Dead Dragons. Dorcas was not one of those girls. She was the sort of girl who behaved respectably at an ABBA concert and knew all the words to the songs of the wizarding band Disco Pixies. Sirius liked girls who were bolshie and clever, who knew their own mind and were not afraid to challenge him. Again Dorcas was not one of those girls. She was quiet and unassuming, and often didn't like to make a scene where it wasn't absolutely necessary. She would of course stand up for someone if they needed her, but she was not one to actively seek conflict. But no matter how far she was from the girls that Sirius liked, she was willing to do anything to make herself one.

"Hey Sirius," she replied.

* * *

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Samantha's warm voice cut through the cold air, and Amelia felt herself stop shivering. She had always liked Samantha. Although they didn't share a dorm, she was much closer to Samantha than she was to most of her other friends. Or at least that's how she felt on that cold afternoon in October.

"I feel… alone," she said, almost surprised at herself, as she wasn't usually a particularly emotional person.

"Why?" asked Samantha simply, yet it was such a difficult question as Amelia hadn't really thought about why she had been feeling so isolated.

"Well, it all kind of started when Lily was made a prefect and I wasn't. I deserved it _so much more_ than her, and I was so angry when she got it. Then her and Tigs got put in all the same classes, without me, and so Lily and Tigs are like 'besties', so I can't talk to Tigs. And then Emmeline is bogged down with work at the moment, and Dorcas has been distant. So I guess I just feel as though I don't have any friends," Amelia had spilled out everything she had been thinking for the past month in one go. Samantha took a minute to take all this in.

"This may sound a little harsh Amelia, but this whole thing has been caused by your jealousy of Lily. You can't forfeit your friends because you're jealous of them," said Samantha slowly, "But if you ever just need to talk things out with someone, I will always be here."

Amelia pondered this for a moment, before leaning over and hugging Samantha. It was exactly what she had needed to hear, and she was _more_ than grateful for hearing it.

* * *

"I'm sure you can manage without the library for two weeks," laughed Bertram.

"I can't, I have loads of homework to finish," Emmeline despaired. Bertram noted her desperate expression, and sighed loudly.

"Alright!" he breathed, "But just this once,"

"What?" snapped Emmeline.

"I'll sort out your homework for you, as a favour, but only this one time mind,"

"I have no idea what you're talking about,"

"You must have heard of the Eagle League?"

"No,"

"Oh well, basically me and few other Ravenclaws set it up in third year and we do other people's homework for money,"

"Are you being serious?"

"Yes! It has been very profitable! James Potter and Sirius Black are our main benefactors, no surprise there, but it has been popular all over the school,"

"Okay… but I haven't got any money,"

"What I'm saying is that I will set you up this time, but next time I expect you to pay,"

"Oh thanks, thank you so much Bertram!" squealed Emmeline, hugging the Ravenclaw enthusiastically. It was exactly what she had needed to hear.

* * *

"Oh my God," said Sirius, "Gotta fly Dorcas, looks like the arm-wrestle of the century is happening over there," Sirius ran over to the other side of the common room, where Tigs and Benjy Fenwick were surrounded by a raucous crowd. Dorcas walked over and watched as Benjy bent Tigs' arm back, her hand close to the desk. She was so close to losing, but the distraction of an impending victory and the chants of the rowdy crowd caused a momentary lapse of Benjy's concentration. Tigs saw her chance and took it, slamming his hand on the desk with a loud bang. The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter, and Dorcas watched as Sirius hugged Tigs and the pair laughed together. That was exactly what she didn't want to happen.

* * *

Hello everyone!

Bit of a longer chapter here, but I apologise for the absence of any Jily, and really any Tigs. I felt as though I had been neglecting some of the other characters in the first few chapters, so I have included some of their side stories here. Please please please review! I would really love to know what you think! Your reviews give me life.

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	6. Falls and Fall-outs

Chapter 6- Falls and Fall-outs

FAMILY OF MUGGLES MURDERED IN WEST DORSET- SUSPECTED DEATH EATER ATTACK

Tigs folded up the paper and put it down. It was the Saturday before Halloween, so Tigs was wearing her Quidditch robes, as the team attempted to cram in as many practices before their match against Slytherin the first week in November. She pondered the bleak headline she had read in the Daily Prophet.

"There's going to be a war," she said unexpectedly. Her roommates looked up from their breakfast and stared at her. Lily responded almost instantaneously.

"No there isn't," she said confidently. "The Ministry will sort it out, the minister for magic has already started-"

"Don't be naïve Lily, Minchum can't stop this any more than you can," Tigs picked up the paper and pointed at the headline, "Either wizards and witches stand by and let this happen or we fight the Death Eaters, these things don't simply resolve themselves,"

"There won't be a war! This is 1976 for God's sake, we can't just start randomly killing people we think may be Death Eaters!" Lily searched her friends' faces for support.

" _They're_ killing people who think may be muggleborns!" snapped Tigs.

"But we can't sink to their level. This should be sorted out diplomatically, I mean these people can't all be bad, they just need some help to understand,"

"You mean like Snape?" Tigs was getting very close to crossing a line. No one had mentioned Severus Snape to Lily since _it_ had happened.

"Maybe, yes, maybe Sev just needs help to _understand_ , he's not a bad person deep down" Lily breathed.

"Well that's just _great_ isn't Lily, after months of not talking about it, we have finally established that you still have you head _firmly_ inserted up Severus Snape's anus," Lily stood up, anger on her face. Tigs did not break eye contact with her, her expression unflinchingly stormy. The tension between the two girls was insurmountable, when James Potter sauntered over in his Quidditch robes.

"Ladies ladies, there is really no need to fight over me, I'm happy to have you both," he smirked, not realising that there had _been_ an argument, and that it _wasn't_ about him. Dorcas managed to catch his eye, giving him a sincere look and the situation became clear. He grabbed some bread and some bacon to make a hasty sandwich, before taking out a cigarette.

"Fancy a smoke Tigs?" he asked. Tigs again didn't break eye contact with Lily. She nodded, without even looking at James, before getting up and leaving. James followed her out and into the courtyard.

* * *

"James _or_ Sirius?" Samantha Clearwater's voice echoed through the empty Quidditch pitch. She and Amelia were sat in the stands, waiting to watch the Quidditch practice.

"James," replied Amelia, thoughtfully.

"Hmmm… I'd probably go with Sirius," said Samantha. The James vs Sirius debate was age-old and unexceptional. When two equally gorgeous yet completely different people become friends, people always draw comparisons and have preferences.

"Peter or Remus," asked Amelia.

" _Definitely_ Remus," said Samantha confidently.

"Me too," nodded Amelia.

"I have got a good one," said Samantha, "Lily or Tigs,"

"Sam! They're my friends I can't choose!"

"Oh c'mon, it's not a personality thing; it's just which one you'd rather see _naked_ ,"

"Sam!"

"Don't be a bore! It's not like I'm gonna _tell_ them,"

"Alright!" Amelia thought for a minute, "I'm thinking Tigs for a one-night stand, Lily for a long term relationship,"

"Oooh yeah good call," said Sam seriously. The two girls realised the comedic nature of their discussion, and burst into laughter. The sound rang across the empty pitch, and the girls were so involved in their own conversation, that they failed to see two figures in Gryffindor robes head across the pitch and into the changing rooms.

* * *

"Tigs! Tigs wait up," James Potter jogged after the girl storming her way across the Quidditch pitch, but she didn't slow down. He followed her into the changing rooms, where she sat, cigarette in hand, with an apathetic look spread across her beautiful face.

"Tigs, are you okay?" he panted, trying to catch his breath. He did not know how Tigs had gotten there so fast, nor how she didn't seem tired, but he didn't dare question it.

"You know there's a bomb that the muggles invented, for that big war they had before we were born, that can just wipe out entire cities in a matter of seconds," said Tigs, pausing for a drag on her cigarette. James listened, perplexed and she continued.

"Russia could drop one on us right now, and you and I would be dead before I got half way through this cigarette. You never see any of that in the _Daily Prophet_ ," she continued to smoke, and James continued to watch, confused.

"And then there's all this _shit_ with the Death Eaters. In short, I guess I'm just trying to say that we probably won't make it past thirty." She picked up her bat, "So we may as well make the most of the time we've got," She rested the bat on James' chest and he looked at her. She was a good few inches shorter than him, and she craned her neck slightly to look at him. He studied her face, she seemed _normal_. As though she didn't care about her argument with Lily, nor the apparent impending doom she had just described to James. He admired that about her, she was always so _cool_. The bat was heavy, and she rested it softly against his chest. It smelled strongly _metallic_. The smell of the iron bludgers was disturbingly familiar. James thought of his amortentia smell. He had smelled _something_ metallic, but he had been sure it was pewter and not iron. Maybe he was wrong. He felt an overwhelming urge come over him, and he wasn't one to think before he acted. So, almost instinctively, he threw his arms around Tigs and hugged her tightly to his chest. It took all she had not to start. She wasn't really a hugging person, but this felt _right_.

* * *

"Lily, are you alright?" Remus Lupin looked down at the girl in front of him, who appeared to be doing all she could to hold back tears. The two were sat in the Quidditch stands with Dorcas, Emmeline and Sirius. The four had been planning to watch the Quidditch practice all week, as they had all been very busy and were looking forward to something that wasn't related to school or exams. Amelia had agreed to join them, but was instead sat a few seats away from them with Samantha Clearwater.

"I'm fine," managed Lily, "Tigs can just be so harsh sometimes,"

"Oh don't take it to heart Lily, she doesn't mean it." said Emmeline, shortly.

"Tigs just doesn't always understand other people's emotions," hurried Dorcas, "I'm sure she didn't mean to offend you. You're both just hot blooded that's all,"

Lily took all this in and considered it. She thought of the last time she had seen Tigs had been upset, and could not recall one. In all the five years she had known, and lived with, Tigs, she could not think of one time she had seen Tigs upset. Although she did not know why, this though comforted her slightly, and holding back her tears suddenly didn't seem so difficult. It was somehow easier to forgive what Tigs had said when one considered that she wouldn't have been bothered if such a thing had been said to her. The sound of someone shouting distracted Lily from her thoughts.

The players had been on the pitch for about a quarter of an hour, and the shouting voice was that of Sirius. There was a bludger heading directly for James Potter, and Tigs sped towards it at full speed. Unfortunately, Benjy Fenwick had the same idea. The two were heading directly for the same spot, and both were going as fast as their broomsticks would let them. Sirius, along with some of the others, was shouting at the top of his voice, desperately trying to distract at least one of the Gryffindor beaters in order to prevent their collision. However, the beaters were too far away, and so their friends' attempts were in vain. The two crashed into each other with considerable force, and Benjy, who was at least three times as big as Tigs in both height and breadth, knocked her off her broom violently. All of the spectators, including Lily, found themselves screaming as Tigs fell through the air.

* * *

"Tigs! Tigs!" Lily Evans voice was panicky and shook through the cold October air. Tigs gasped for air, as the fall had winded her. She could hear someone shouting, and tried to focus her eyes on at least one of the people who were crowded around her.

"I'm okay," she said calmly, patting Lily's arm. Lily threw her arms around Tigs, and they both knew that the argument from the morning was forgotten. For the second time that day, Tigs, who was not a hugging person, found herself in an embrace that didn't feel its normal level of _uncomfortable_.

"You need to watch where you're fucking going! You could've killed her!" James Potter's voice was loud and full of rage, and its intensity forced Tigs to break off her embrace with Lily. He was shouting at the top of his voice at a sheepish Benjy, who was shuffling uncomfortably and looked incredibly apologetic.

"You could have killed her Benjy! Any higher up and she could have _died_!" James looked as though he could punch Benjy, and he didn't once look over at Tigs. Tigs pushed herself up from the ground, feeling her head throb a little. She used Remus to stop herself falling from dizziness.

"Tigs you've just had a bad fall, you should sit here while we get Madame Montessori-" he began.

"I don't need Madame Montessori," interrupted Tigs. Remus looked at her for a moment, and his green eyes met her stormy ones. Tigs pulled her gaze away quickly, as she suddenly felt violently sick. She covered her mouth with her hand, and walked towards James and Benjy. The feeling of sickness subsided and she interrupted the two boys' argument.

"Leave him alone James," she said coolly. James was taken aback; he looked at Tigs with disbelief.

"What?" was all he could manage.

"It was my fault just as much as his, I should have seen him coming," she said.

"He should have seen _you_! He was in your blind spot!" James protested. Granted, this was true, but the incident had been an accident and Tigs felt it unjust to blame Benjy for it.

"It was just one of those things James, every so often people fall off their brooms! I'm not hurt so we can just carry on practising, it's no big deal," James stared at Tigs, seemingly still in disbelief, he nodded at the Gryffindor seeker, Aidan Lynch, who began to restart the practice, getting the rest of the team in the air and the spectators off the pitch. James took Tigs by the wrist and pulled her to one side of the pitch, while Benjy shot them a quick and pitiful 'sorry' before joining the rest of the players in the air.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" said James, surprisingly calmly. He was still holding Tigs' wrist, but he did so gently. His face was close to hers, and he spoke softly. The flush of anger that had been in his face a moment ago had been replaced with concern.

"I'm _fine_ ," she breathed. James considered this for a moment, gave her a once over and, seeing no visible injury, became uncomfortably satisfied that she was okay to continue the practice. But he only allowed this on the grounds that she agreed to tell him if she started to feel out of sorts in any way. The pair mounted their brooms once again, James' breath shook and he could barely catch the Quaffle for the rest of the practice.

* * *

Tigs took a long drag on her cigarette. She was sat on the cupboard where the Quidditch balls were kept, it was high and her feet didn't reach the floor. She leaned back, looking at the ceiling. The small of her back ached, and she rubbed it with the palm of hand. She hadn't had a fall like that for some years. She had forgotten how painful it could be. She could feel a bruise forming. The rest of the Quidditch players had gone back to the castle, all but Tigs and James remained near the pitch. James burst through the door, carrying a huge chest that contained the Quidditch balls. On sight of Tigs, he set it down on the floor. He walked over to her, and took a drag of her cigarette.

"Please don't scare me like that again Tigsy," he breathed.

"What do you mean?" she said, and he took her hands in his. He began to check her wrists, feeling the bones in her arm for any breakages.

"I mean, this is the second time this year that I have seen you get hurt and both times I have done almost nothing about it," Satisfied that all the bones in both of Tigs' arms were still intact, James took to just holding her cold hands in his own warm ones.

"You don't have to protect me," said Tigs.

"I know I don't have to, but I can't see you get hurt again. I just can't," There was a note of desperation in his voice, and its effect on Tigs led her to do something she usually wouldn't. She hugged James, and he hugged her back. So Tigs, who was not a hugging person, found herself sharing an embrace for the third time that day. And she didn't dislike it.

* * *

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry! I don't want to spoil any of the Jily action to come, so all I can say is that I promise that everything will work out in the end! Thank you so much for reading and thanks to my wonderful reviewers **Twiheart23teamjocab** and **hplover20673**. This chapter is for you, as without your lovely reviews I probably wouldn't have felt compelled to write this. Please please review, your reviews give me life.

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	7. Ghouls and Gatherings

Chapter 7- Ghouls and Gatherings

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something," said Lily, as James dropped some fluxweed into the cauldron they were sharing.

"Oh god, this can't be good," he said. Lily peeked over his shoulder, Tigs was chatting and laughing with Remus while they brewed their potion.

"I just wanted to say thank you. You stood up for Tigs the other day at Quidditch practice and I respect you immensely for that. You're fiercely loyal to your friends Potter and you should be proud of that,"

"Bloody hell Evans," breathed James, running his hand through his hair.

"Also it's nice to know that there's someone looking after Tigs when I'm not there." She uttered, making sure that Tigs could definitely not hear them.

"Well I don't think I ever would have guessed that you would approve of me," laughed James.

"Can't a girl change her mind?" smiled Lily, and the two continued their potion, each feeling a little warmer to the other.

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" said Tigs, nodding at Lily and James.

"I don't know," said Remus, chuckling, "The thought of them two having a civil conversation is _hilarious_ ," The pair laughed loudly, and then tried to cover it up when Lily and James looked over.

"So what do you need to do for tonight?" smiled Tigs.

"I think the main thing is setting up the protective spells," said Remus, "We need to make sure the dungeon is sound proof and we should probably cast an intruder charm on the stairs. Then one of us needs to make some sort of bargain with the Bloody Baron in order to keep Peeves away, then we should be good to start decorating and bringing the food down form the kitchens." Remus counted the last few things off on his fingers. The Marauders parties were renowned across the whole school, including by most of the teachers, as being the most important events on the social calendar. They were nights infamous for being excessively boozy, floozy and often bruise-y. Rivalry, romance and regret haunted the tales of various Halloweens, birthdays and Christmases when the Marauders had thrown a party. The Halloween party of 1976 promised to deliver no less.

"I don't why you do it, it seems to be more trouble than its worth," said Tigs.

"Fine then, you're uninvited," said Remus matter-of-factly.

"Hey! I've already got my costume," laughed Tigs, punching Remus in the arm playfully.

"I'm only kidding, James' would kill me if I actually uninvited you," With that the bell rang and Tigs and Remus struggled to pour their potion into a vile before Slughorn could tell them off for not finishing.

"Remus, Lily I have a note here for you from Professor McGonagall, _prefect business_ ," shouted Slughorn over the sound of scraping chairs.

"Looks like it's just me and you Tigsy," smiled James, throwing his arm around Tigs' shoulder. The pair headed out into the corridor and started for the Great Hall, James chatting away to Tigs about the party. They hadn't got far when Tigs stopped dead, causing James to look up. Avery, Mulciber and Rosier were walking, three abreast, down the corridor towards them. Since Tigs had been attacked by them she and James had managed to avoid the group of Slytherins, usually by diving into a broom cupboard or unused classroom on sight of them coming.

"Alright Tigs, Potter," gloated Rosier, grinning. James said nothing, but Tigs could sense the anger bubbling up inside him. He wanted to confront Avery more than anything.

"Why so quiet eh Tigs? You weren't so quiet last time we were together, do you need another punch?" Rosier had crossed the line. James reacted instinctively. He didn't even remember doing it. One second Rosier was stood in front of him, the next he was on the floor with blood spilling from his nose, Mulciber and Avery were fussing around him and Tigs had her arms around James' neck, whispering something into his ear.

"Don't hit him again James, please, God, thank you, thank you so much," her voice was shaking, and James wrapped his arms around her. He had never seen her like this, normally everything she said was cool and preconceived, but now she was muttering almost nonsensically. She kissed his cheek, and after coming to his senses, James took her hand and led her quickly out of the corridor and into the Great Hall.

* * *

"It stinks in here," said Sirius, crinkling his nose.

"I think it's the ghosts, they use this room all the time," said Remus, holding his nose and looking round. The dungeon was large and draughty, with huge cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.

"We can sort out the smell easily enough," James threw a large speaker set down on to a dusty table and turned to the others. "Right everyone, tonight is going to be the best party we have ever thrown. No teachers bursting in, no interruptions from Peeves and no running out of alcohol. _Peter_ , we need the best food from the kitchens and plenty of it, I've already spoken to the house elves so you just need to pick it up. _Sirius_ , we need to make sure that Peeves doesn't show up uninvited and spoil everything, so you need to strike some sort of deal with the Bloody Baron. _Remus_ we need plenty of alcohol because people always seem to 'forget' to bring their own, so you need to pick up the crate of firewhisky we ordered from the Three Broomsticks, you'll need to take the One-Eyed Witch passage. I will stay here and cast the protective spells and decorate the room. Okay?"

"Yes sir," barked Sirius, saluting. The other two chuckled before leaving. James sighed. Maybe these parties were more trouble than they were worth.

* * *

"Right ladies, tonight's objective is to look as hot as humanly possible. Understood?" announced Emmeline, and her roommates burst into laughter. Although none of them but Tigs and, at a push, Lily, were _really_ friends with the Marauders, whenever Tigs was invited to a party, the host just had to accept that, naturally, all of her friends were invited too.

"Put some music on Tigs," laughed Dorcas, and Tigs headed over to her record collection. She thumbed through until she found something _fun_. She placed the record on the player and dragged the needle over to the right track.

" _I was feeling done in_

 _Couldn't win_

 _I'd only ever kissed before"_

The girls all began to squeal, as Tigs had convinced them all to see _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ the previous summer.

"Sing it for us Tigs!" laughed Lily, and the other girls joined with cries of "yeah c'mon Tigs!". Tigs rolled her eyes and faux-reluctantly agreed. She was famous within her friendship group for her gripping and often hilarious performances of _Rocky Horror_ songs. She stood on one of the four-posters and hopped between it and the window sill, dancing and singing to eruptions of laughter from her friends. When the song finished she collapsed on to one of the beds to applause and laughter from her roommates. Tigs rolled over and looked at her nightstand. Her perfume bottle was empty.

"Lily can I borrow your perfume for tonight, I've run out," asked Tigs.

"Sure, I've only got the rose one at the moment though,"

"That's okay,"Tigs pulled a bottle of firewhisky out from under her bed and picked up five glasses off the nightstand.

"Right, I think it's time to start drinking," she announced and the five girls, some of them somewhat reluctantly, took a glass of firewhisky each and began to drink. This was going to be an interesting night, thought Tigs.

* * *

When the five girls arrived in the roomiest of the dungeons they were met by Dead Dragons music blaring out loudly from a set of speakers. There were pumpkins floating around the room, lit up with grinning faces and evil smiles, black curtains adorned the walls, and were speckled with silver spiders of various sizes. Huge ghostly letters floated from the ceiling spelling the words 'Happy Halloween'. A long table with a white 'blood' stained table cloth was groaning under the weight of pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes and more. This was the Marauders stood, each in fancy dress, ready to greet their guests. There were a reasonable amount of people there already, but plenty more would arrive, whether invited or not. The girls strolled over to the table, each demanding much more attention than usual with their alluring costumes.

"We match!" said Tigs and James in unison, as both had, unbeknown to the other, chosen to dress as vampires. Tigs wore a fitted black dress, her long red hair tumbling down her back like fire against the night. Her skin was painted an even paler white than usual, and her full lips were painted red with a trickle of fake blood dripping from one corner. Small white fangs could be seen when she spoke. James too had gone for a similarly alluring approach, only with more shadowing around his hazel eyes and wearing a dusky suit, rather than a dress. The other Marauders and likewise, Tigs' roommates, had each put a little more effort into their costumes. Sirius was dressed as a skeleton, his plain black suit sporting the painting of a skeletal figure on the front and back, and his face painted like a skull. He was possibly one of the few people who could have made a skeleton costume still seem effortlessly handsome and dapper. Remus was dressed, much to the hilarity of the other Marauders, as a werewolf. Although others didn't understand exactly what about his costume the Marauders found so funny, they simple accredited it to some sort of inside joke. Peter, rather unfortunately, had lost a bet with the other Marauders as to what costume he would wear, and therefore ended up dressed as an extremely orange, and rather embarrassed, pumpkin. This, of course, was a source of hilarity for everyone, not just James, Sirius and Remus.

Lily had been planning her costume all term, and came dressed as scary yet beautiful, and rather convincing, corpse bride. She was wearing a very old and tattered wedding dress she had seen for sale in a charity shop over the summer. Dorcas too had been planning her costume for a while; she was dressed as a mermaid, with her long dark hair, intertwined with fake seaweed and shells, falling in waves to her waist. Emmeline and Amelia had certainly not planned their costumes, so they were both a little last minute. However, Emmeline's zombie was terrifying and Amelia's ghost was possibly the most convincing costume in the room. The atmosphere was perfect. Perhaps this did have a chance at being the best Marauders party ever.

* * *

"You know I think this might be our best party ever," James' voice rang out crisp across the cold stairs. Tigs turned to face him and he sat on the step next to her. James pulled a pack of cigarettes from her hand, took one out, placed it between his lips and lit it. Tigs took a drag from her cigarette, her other hand resting on the cold step. James placed his hand on top of hers and she looked up.

"Tigs, are you okay?" he breathed. Tigs looked away abruptly, hoping James would do the same, but he didn't.

"Look I know you won't want to talk about this, but this whole Rosier thing, I can tell that its affecting you more than you'll tell me. You don't have to be so guarded all the time, not with me. I care so much about you Tigs, and I won't ever let that little prick near you again. If you ever need anything, and I mean _anything_ , you can always ask me, okay?"

"You're such a good person James, don't let anyone ever tell you that you're not," She hadn't noticed that her and James were nose to nose. She felt as though he wanted to kiss her, and she felt as though she wouldn't stop him. A loud bang and a flood of music from the party interrupted them. Dorcas had just burst through the door at the top of the top of the stairs.

"Tigs, thank God you're here! Emmeline needs you! She's being sick and you know I can't deal with that," she blurted.

"Alright, I'm coming," Tigs dropped her cigarette on to the floor and stamped it out with her foot. James watched her go, intending on finishing his own cigarette before following her, when the door burst open again. This time it was Lily.

"I can't stand that song," she announced, flouncing down the stairs as though she was personally offended by the music. "Do you know where Tigs is?"

"She has just gone to help an apparently puking Emmeline," laughed James.

"Sounds joyous, I'm normally the one who has to deal with stuff like that," sighed Lily.

"You okay?" asked James, sensing something unhappy in her tone.

"I'm just in a bit of bad mood," she said, watching James tap ash of the end of his cigarette.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked courteously, though secretly hoping she said no, as he wanted to return to the party.

"Not really anything to say," she sighed. The pair sat in silence for a few moments, but for some reason, it wasn't at all awkward. James finished his cigarette and stubbed it out on the stone step.

"I think that song has finished," said Lily, getting up and heading back into the party. "Oh and James, thank you," James smiled after her. He was just about to get up when he spotted something glinting out of the corner of his eye. 10 gold galleons sat in a neat pile on the step next to him. It was Halloween, and he had won the bet. Lily _liked_ him.

* * *

"May I have this dance?" James held out his hand, adopting an over the top debonair attitude. Tigs smiled one of her famous smiles and obliged. Lily watched her friend go and for some reason unbeknown to her, she felt a sharp pang of jealously shoot through her chest. She tried to stop this feeling from transpiring on her face, but did so poorly. Remus caught her disappointed expression and set his firewhisky down on the floor.

"How about it then Lily? As friends?" Remus need not have added this last comment, as Lily already knew why he was asking. Remus was kind. He would want her to be happy. He too knew the feeling of rejection and would not want it to be suffered by anyone else. Lily nodded and the two stood up to dance, friendly smiles on their faces.

James had returned to the topic of the Slytherins' attack on Tigs, and as they danced he noticed a look in Tigs' face that he had never seen before- fear.

"I won't ever let anyone hurt you, you know," he said, looking into her stormy grey eyes.

"I know," breathed Tigs. It was exactly what she had needed to hear. It was exactly what she had needed James to say. She moved in closer and rested her head on James shoulder. He put his arms around her slender waist and held her close.

"They're in love," said Remus. Lily jumped and turned to face him, she didn't realise it was so obvious that she had been watching James and Tigs.

"Don't be silly, it's nothing. They are both drunk." said Lily, a little more aggressively than she had intended. She continued to watch them. She had never seen Tigs like his before. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a loud drunken Sirius.

"Check the love ducks," he burped gesturing towards James and Tigs. Lily frowned.

"Prongs is well in there," he half shouted. Lily tried to interject but Sirius continued.

"Listen to me," he barked, "I know the truth, and the t-t-truth is that Tigs and James are meant to be. It was always gonna happen –hiccup-eventually. The only r-r-reason it hasn't -hiccup- happened before is that James was holding back. 1- because she's a good m-m-mate and he didn't wanna sp-sp-spoil that. And-" he stared at the ceiling for a moment perplexed, "- 4 because the rest of us all think she's fit too and he didn't wanna cause a scrap," This last word Sirius said very loudly before he smacked Remus hard on the back and sloped off.

"The genius has spoken," said Remus shrugging.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," snapped Lily, she could be a very angry drunk, "What made you say they were in love?" Remus glanced around the room as though to check for eavesdroppers before replying.

"Remember when we made amortentia in Potions about a month ago?"

"How could I forget?"

"Yeah well James lied about what he smelled-"

"Yeah but we all did!"

"No but James doesn't normally lie about stuff like that. He will tell you himself, he's an open book, I reckon he only hid it because it smelled like Tigs,"

"That's no proof that he loves Tigs! He could have hid it for any number of reasons! I lied and I guarantee it wasn't because I'm in love with Tigs"

"Just hear me out okay. The other thing is that Tigs didn't lie, and her smell was Florean Fortescue ice cream and fresh soil. She meets up with James for ice cream every summer in Diagon Alley before getting school supplies!"

"And the soil?"

"James and Tigs sat next to each other in Herbology for five years!" Lily took all this in. It was hard to believe. Tigs didn't normally bother herself with boys and Lily was sure that she had never heard Tigs even mention the word 'love' unless in jest. And even though she didn't know James particularly well, there was something about his being in love with Tigs that seemed distinctly uncharacteristic. Lily shrugged all this off. Perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps two people who seemed most cynical of love could find love through each other. She turned back to face Remus and the pair had a few more enjoyable James-and-Tigs-free dances before the night was up.

James held Tigs close to him. She was warm and smelled of something familiar that he could not place. He felt as though he _imagined_ people felt when they were in love. His whole chest seemed to be on fire. He was happy. But then something interrupted that. He realised what it was he could smell on Tigs. Rose perfume.

* * *

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for reading! A slightly longer and more dramatic chapter here. sorry for the delay in updating, I've had a little bit of writers block. Please please please please review! I would love to know your opinions on the characters and their relationships, and most importantly what you think might/want to happen next!

Thank you for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	8. Hangovers and Headaches

Chapter 8- Hangovers and Headaches

Emmeline woke up shivering. Her head was on fire. It felt like there was an alarm ringing constantly in her ears. She sat up and suddenly felt violently sick. The room spun around her as she ran to the toilet. Throwing up nothing more than bile, she staggered back into the room, with no idea how she had got back from the dungeons the night before. The noise she had made caused Tigs to groan, roll over and then, admitting defeat, sit up.

"Morning," she yawned, a light grey shadowing under her bright blue eyes. Emmeline nodded, fearing that she would be sick if she opened her mouth again. Tigs stretched, before clapping her hands together with a deafening crack.

"Get up everyone, Tigs' hangover clinic opens at 12:30," she announced, getting up. The other girls rolled over in the beds and groaned. Tigs flung open the blinds and her roommates reinforced their original protestation. Loudly, Tigs pulled out a chest from under her bed and pulled out various ingredients, along with a tall bottle of vodka.

"I don't want to think about alcohol ever again," wailed Lily, on sight of the bottle. She pulled the covers over her head dramatically.

"It's the best hangover cure," replied Tigs, while pouring things into the large jug they used for water. Dorcas threw off her duvet, and sat up. She too had a splitting headache, but accepted that Tigs wouldn't let her go back to sleep.

"Oh god," she wailed, throwing her head into her hands.

"You'll have to hold on a minute," said Tigs, stirring the blood red liquid in the jug. Dorcas looked at her, perplexed. Tigs poured the concoction into five glasses and passed them around the room, shoving Amelia until she too sat up.

"Five Bloody Marys," she said, "Now, the most painful part. 'Fess up. The best way to get over doing something stupid when you're drunk is to laugh about it with your best mates. Amelia you can go first," Amelia took a long sip from her Bloody Mary, wincing.

"Okay," she breathed, the tomato drink sticking in her throat. "I remember…

 _Amelia staggered over to the long table, people dancing around her._

" _Sam! Wouldn't it be awesome if we danced ON THE TABLE!"_

" _That would be so amazing! Everyone will remember us as those legends who danced ON THE TABLE!" The two girls grabbed each other's arms and jumped up and down squealing. The two, rather precariously, helped each other on the table and started dancing. It was an odd sort of dancing, as both girls obviously felt as though they were much better dancers than they actually were. Much to his misfortune, which he seemed to have in buckets that night, Peter walked over the table to get a drink at that very moment._

" _LOOK Sam! Its PUMPKIN PETER!" shrieked Amelia. The two girls erupted into fits of laughter, interrupted with cries of 'pumpkin Peter'. Peter tried to quickly shuffle away, but the girls would not let him go that easily. Amelia bent down and picked up a pumpkin pasty, attempting to throw it at Peter, who rushed away rather quickly into the crowd followed by further fits of maniacal laughter._

"Jesus H," sighed Amelia, burying her face in her hands. Her roommates rolled around in stitches. Finally Tigs composed herself enough to tell Lily that it was her go.

 _Lily fell through the door on to the corridor. Dirk Cresswell held her hand and she led him down the corridor and into an alcove. Dirk was Head Boy, a good looking Hufflepuff in the year above. Lily and he kissed a few times before Lily felt violently sick. She ran to the toilets, coming across her roommates on the way. Tigs was propping up an inebriated Emmeline and Dorcas was leading a very giddy Amelia in the right direction. Lily felt her sickness subside, and decided that she would head back to the dorm with her friends, forgetting completely about Dirk Cresswell who was waiting in the alcove for her to return._

This invoked a varied response from her roommates, with some, like Tigs and Amelia, finding the thought of an abandoned Dirk Cresswell hilarious, and the others, who congratulated Lily on pulling a boy who most girls in the school, at least at some point, had a crush on. Next up was Emmeline, who could not actually remember most of the night.

" _Right then Aubrey, you're on," said Emmeline confidently. This was met by cheers and whoops from the crowd, followed by a smirk from Bertram Aubrey. Bertram picked up the bottle of firewhisky and poured it in to two shot glasses. Emmeline picked up her glass and nodded at Bertram._

" _Bottoms up,"_

"You started a drinking contest with Bertram Aubrey! Are you mad?" laughed Lily.

"I did reasonably well!" protested Emmeline, still laughing.

"Do you not know the laws of alcohol! You never could have won! For one he's about twice the size of you and for two he's a boy!" The girls roared with laughter and Emmeline rolled face down on to her bed, in a state of delighted despair.

"Dorcas, your turn!" she shouted into her pillow, attempting to move the groups attention away from her.

 _Dorcas checked her watch. It was quarter past eleven, and Dorcas was surprisingly sober. She milled around the dance floor, flitting to and fro between different groups of people. She was just talking to a rather loud and not very self-aware Benjy Fenwick when she heard a shout. Her attention was drawn to the middle of the dance floor, where a drunken Sirius was staggering in her direction. He had just been talking to Remus and Lily about something, and Dorcas was sure he wasn't intentionally walking towards her. However, on sight of Dorcas he began to shout again._

" _DORCAS MY GIRL! Fancy a dance?" Dorcas, of course, obliged, and the two shared an odd drunken sort of dance that ended up in a kiss. It was the best kiss of Dorcas' life, and yet its giver would not even remember it the following morning._

Dorcas skirted over the fact that the kiss had meant something to her, and therefore her roommates simply got very excited and congratulatory. Dorcas smiled her way through the cries of "You go girl!" and "Get in there!" while desperately hiding the fact that she felt quite uncomfortable about the whole thing. Similarly to Emmeline, Dorcas attempted to shift her friends focus by calling on the next person in their 'round-robin'.

"Go on Tigs. It's your turn," Tigs looked around apathetically before speaking, her voice cool.

"I can handle my booze much better than you bunch of lightweights. All that happened to me was a few drags on a ciggy, a few dances with James Potter and lots of holding hair, mopping up sick and helping my friends find their way back to their dorm," At this, Tigs' friends all leaped on to her bed and hugged her, happily apologising for the mishaps of the night before. They were all, including Tigs, incredible grateful for the cathartic 'therapy' session. Each friend hugged the other, and when they went down to the library, some were comforted and some were nervous that they may repeat such mistakes at Sirius' birthday two days after.

* * *

Tigs got back from Quidditch practice tired and sweaty. The dorm was empty, and she presumed that the others were at the library finishing off their last bits of homework. Tigs pulled her hair out of its ponytail and stripped off to her underwear. She pulled a baggy jumper over her head. It was much too big on her, long enough to be a short dress and wide enough to fit her in twice over. She smelled it. James, she thought. He's had lent to her the night before in the common room. She sat down on the bed and attempted to finish the conclusion for a Potions essay before she took a shower. She was about half way through when the door opened and Amelia burst in.

"What have you been up to?" smiled Tigs looking at her friend. Amelia avoided her eye before muttering-

"I was with Samantha,"

"Clearwater?" inquired Tigs.

"Yeah,"

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" said Tigs matter of factly.

"What?! No! She's just - I'm not-"

Tigs shot her look.

"Is it that obvious?" breathed Amelia, collapsing on to the bed.

"No it isn't obvious at all. I'm just good at telling when people are in love. Unless they're in love with me, then I don't realise until we're both pissed and slow dancing together." said Tigs, very fast. Amelia looked confused for a minute, before her thoughts returned to her own love life.

"What do you think I should do?" she asked imploring, searching Tigs' face for any clue.

"Tell her," said Tigs simply, her face expressionless.

"I can't do that! I know it's 1976 and people are more okay with that kind of stuff now but... I mean men were only allowed to be gay by law 7 years ago! People won't be happy with me and Sam. I don't even know what she would say! Don't you think I would get too much shit of people for being...what I am?"

"You probably will get some shit, I'm not going to pretend you won't. There will always be arseholes out there who will take issue with anything remotely different from them. But no matter how much shit you get, I can assure you that you won't ever get any from me. Love is love Mil." Tigs said this so kindly and it was exactly what Amelia needed to hear. She wasn't patronising, she wasn't uncomfortable, she wasn't overly understanding. She was just a friend who was treating her friend as she always had. She just cared more about her friend than she did about her sexuality. Amelia felt a warmth and connection towards Tigs that she had never felt before. They were friends, and good friends at that.

"Oh and by the way," said Tigs, making her way towards the bathroom, "If anyone does say anything to you or Sam, I will hex them into the next dimension,"

* * *

On November 3rd, every November 3rd, the Gryffindor common room was abuzz with music and laughter. The entirety of Gryffindor house, along with anyone else that could get the password for the common room, were invited to celebrate all night long. Although a physically smaller celebration than most of the Marauders seasonal parties, the festivities for Sirius' birthday were no small thing. Tigs sauntered down from her dormitory at about 9 o'clock, joining a room full of party goers and awash with alcohol. She had promised Sirius she would make an appearance, but when she arrived she felt an overwhelming urge to leave. Tigs hated small parties like this. she had discovered a reason for this when she had read The Great Gatsby the year before. Tigs had always identified with quote "I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy". Therefore, when she stood looking at the scene before her, she decided to nick a bottle of firewhisky from Benjy Fenwick and head up to the Astronomy Tower for a night of solitude.

* * *

"Have you seen Tigs?" asked James, worry spread across his face. When he was met by shaking heads and shrugged shoulders from Tigs' roommates, he returned, dejectedly, to his friends. Sirius was weaving between the guests, receiving presents and generally lapping up the extra attention he was being given that night.

"They haven't seen her," said James, looking at the ground disappointedly. Remus studied his friend's face. He hadn't seen James like this since he had been rejected by Lily innumerable times the year before.

"Try the Astronomy Tower," he said, and James looked up, "That's where she goes when she wants to be alone," Remus did not offer an explanation to how he knew this, neither did James ask for one.

"Thanks, mate. Thanks so much!" James said giddily, slapping his friend on the back. James turned on his heel and headed towards exit. Remus shuffled his feet anxiously, James had been so caught up in himself that he hadn't noticed the pained expression on Remus' face.

* * *

Tigs felt the cold air on her face and took another gulp of fire whiskey. She took a long drag of her cigarette and leaned back. Silence filled the air, and after a rather raucous half term, she was glad of it. However, it wasn't long before a familiar voice shattered the quiet air around her.

"Tigs?" said James Potter, peering around the top of the staircase. Tigs smiled at him and he sat down next to her.

"Remus said I might find you here," he was quieter than usual, much more softly spoken. Tigs stubbed out her cigarette on the stone floor and turned to face him.

"I've wanted to talk to you since Halloween," he said quietly. Tigs placed his hand on top of his softly and he did his best not to start.

"I know," she said.

"Tigs, I don't really know much about love or relationships or anything like that," he took a breath, proceeding carefully, "I just know that when I'm with you, I feel like.. like... like... Frank Sinatra," he finished.

"Frank Sinatra?" said Tigs quizzically.

"Yeah, you fly to me the moon Tigs," he smiled. Tigs laughed softly looking at the floor.

"Likewise Potter," she said, and the pair giggled awkwardly. James reached out and moved a curl of red hair away from Tigs face.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed. They were nose to nose now.

"Shut up," she started but James cut her off with a kiss. They sat in the moonlight, a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of fire whiskey next to them, and as they kissed, the two did _feel_ as though they were inexplicably in love with the other.

* * *

Hi everyone!

Again all I can say is that it _will_ all work out in the end! Thank you so so much for reading this far, I really appreciate it. Please please please please please please please review, I would love to know your thoughts! Oddly enough, I actually uploaded this on Sirius' birthday- coincidence? I THINK NOT!

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	9. Hogsmeade and Heartbreaks

Hogsmeade and Heartbreaks

Lily woke up tossing and turning. Her hair was sweaty, her face clammy. It was still dark outside, so she rolled over to check the time on her watch. 6:30 am. She closed her eyes. Her brain was awake, and had been all night. As a result, she was utterly exhausted yet inexplicably alert. She pulled her hair up and threw a jumper over her pyjamas before heading down to the common room and then out of the front door of the castle. The sun hadn't risen yet and the castle was deserted. Everyone was lying in, as they always did on a Saturday. Well, not everyone. A shadowy figure sat on a grassy verge by the lake. Lily squinted over, her eyes straining in the dim light. She couldn't make out who the figure was, but they seemed quite familiar so she headed over. As she got closer, the figure's face came into focus. James Potter.

"James?" croaked Lily, her voice breaking from not talking, "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question Evans," he replied. Lily ignored this retort and plonked herself down on the verge next to him. The pair sat in silence for a few moments before Lily decided to answer.

"I couldn't sleep, Hogsmeade weekend always made me a little nervous but this year is way worse" she shivered a little from the cold. James took out a cigarette and lit it.

"Why does it make you nervous?" he said, cigarette between his lips.

"I'm always worried I will be left out. Someone's last choice. At least I used to be able to go with Sev. Now I don't even have that," she sighed. The first trip to Hogsmeade was as important as a Marauders' Party for the Hogwarts social calendar. It was customary that people took a date with them to the first Hogsmeade trip, and thus everyone was on edge as to who, if anyone, they would go with.

"Lily there isn't a boy in the year who wouldn't want to go with you, there is no chance in hell that you won't have any to go with," said James dismissively. Lily was slightly comforted by this and thought back to all the times James had asked her to go with him, and how this year, she might say yes.

* * *

"Come on then, sexy ladies!" shouted Lily, banging a shoe against her four-poster bed to wake her friends up. They all rolled over, making noises of annoyance, before slowly, one by one, yielding to Lily's cries and sitting up.

"Its Hogsmeade day!" squealed Dorcas, and Tigs couldn't help but roll her eyes at her overly girly and predictable friend.

"Looks like Emmeline's already got an invite," yawned Tigs. The group's focus shifted suddenly to Emmeline and the letter in her hand. Emmeline's roommates made eye contact, before all jumping up at the same time and jumping on to Emmeline's bed, all trying to snatch the letter. It was Amelia who got it, much to Emmeline's protestation. Tigs held Emmeline's arms behind her while Amelia read the letter aloud in an overly dramatic voice.

"Emmeline," she read, "I don't normally hold for this whole Hogsmeade date thing, but I guess it's the best way for me to tell you how I feel. I think you're amazing, I always have. Since we met in first year Charms (and you were a million times better than me) to when you drank me under the table at Halloween, I've always liked you. I would be honoured to take you to Hogsmeade today, Bertram x"

The girls responded to this with a loud "ooooooh" and a few wolf whistles. Emmeline blushed, taking the letter back from Amelia. She was soon met with a very loud chorus of " _Emmeline and Bertram sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G"_ and couldn't help but laugh, while she chased her roommates around hitting them with a magazine for being embarrassing.

* * *

Tigs, Dorcas, Amelia, Emmeline and Lily headed down from their dorm, all a little more dressed up than usual (apart from Tigs, who was wearing jeans), and joined the other girls in the common room, Tigs perching on the windowsill, smoking out of the open window. The Gryffindor girls all sat around waiting, waiting for the boys to come down from their dorms and ask them to be their date.

"I fucking hate this," said Tigs, "Its archaic, like feminism never even happened," Her friends made some remarks of agreement, but nothing substantial. All were anxious to be asked on a date, and then anxious for the date itself. The boys began to file in a few minutes later, none brave enough to commence the process until James and Sirius had their dates. The Marauders, minus Remus, came down a few minutes later and the whole common room went quiet.

"Okay everyone," started James, "Let's get things started! Peter will go first in his announcement that he has already asked Helga Ramsbottom from Hufflepuff to be his date, and Remus is not feeling well,"

"So that leaves your two favourites," quipped Sirius, "And I'm going to go first," The whole room paused with anticipation, Dorcas gulped, both her fingers crossed behind her back.

"I would like to ask," Sirius paused dramatically, "Samantha!" The whole room gasped and turned to look at Samantha Clearwater, who nodded in acceptance of the invitation. The room erupted into applause and Tigs squeezed Amelia's hand as she swallowed her tears. She had been planning to ask Samantha. Dorcas too, put on a brave face. Sirius had broken both of their hearts in a matter of seconds, and it wasn't even 10 am yet.

"Well done mate!" clapped James, bringing the attention back to himself, "Now my turn," The room became hushed again in anticipation.

"The only girl I would go to when I need someone to listen to David Bowie with, and therefore the girls of my dreams," like Sirius, he paused to build the tension, "My date today will be Tigs," The room erupted into gasps of shock, and Lily felt as though a lead weight had been dropped on top of her. She had a lump in her throat. James swanned over as Tigs stubbed out her cigarette and took her in his arms. Right there and then, he kissed her. The whole room was transfixed, until they broke apart and James snapped at them asking what they were looking at.

* * *

"So do you want some droobles as well as the cockroach clusters?" Dirk Cresswell's voice cut through the din of the busy little sweet shop, yet Lily did not respond. She was watching James and Tigs from across Honeyduke's. They were messing around, laughing and daring each other to eat Bertie Bott's. They looked so happy and Lily was uncontrollably _jealous_.

"Lily?" Dirk tapped her on the shoulder this time.

"Oh yeah both is good," she replied, without taking her eyes off James and Tigs. Why was she so jealous? She was not the jealous type. And she _definitely_ didn't like James.

* * *

"Two butterbeers please," said Amelia to the barman at the Three Broomsticks. Dorcas stood next to her, a glum expression on her face as she watched Sirius and Samantha drinking together in a booth on the opposite wall. Amelia paid for the drinks and the two girls walked over to a table far out of view of the new couple. After both finding out that the people they wanted to go with were going to Hogsmeade someone else, the two friends had decided to blow off any other offers of dates and go to Hogsmeade together, both of them conceding they would have made lousy company for dates anyway.

"Okay, you tell me who you're moping over and I will tell you who I wanted to take," said Amelia with a false confidence, secretly praying that Dorcas would not take up this offer. Dorcas took a huge swig of butterbeer before speaking.

"It's Sirius, I'm mad for him, but he never ever goes for girls like me," she sighed, taking another gulp of butterbeer.

"He kissed you though, right? That must be a good sign?" said Amelia optimistically.

"He was blind drunk, I think he would've kissed anyone I just happened to be stood in front of him," Dorcas looked teary, and this time Amelia took a large drink of her butterbeer, she wasn't veru good at consoling others.

"Alright, who's yours?" asked Dorcas.

"Samantha," blurted Amelia loudly, surprising herself. Dorcas didn't even flinch.

"Oh my god" said Dorcas, and Amelia gulped, expecting a torrent of abuse, "I can't believe our crushes have gone together! That makes it even worse!" finished Dorcas. Amelia let out a huge sigh of relief, and despite her upset over Samantha, beamed with happiness for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Hey Dorcas, Amelia! Get over here!" James grinned and held up two overflowing glasses of butterbeer for the two girls. Tigs took the other two and the four friends found a table in the busy pub. James took a huge swig of his butterbeer, leaving a frothy moustache on his upper lip.

"This has officially been the best Hogsmeade trip ever," he declared, smiling his toothy grin.

"James you have a moustache," laughed Tigs, and even Dorcas and Amelia joined in laughing as James went cross-eyed to try to see it.

"Have I got it?" he asked after about ten minutes of him trying to lick it off, much to the hilarity of Dorcas, Amelia and Tigs.

"No," they said in unison.

"Maybe you'll just have to get it off for me Tigs," said James, leaning in towards his new girlfriends happily, but she pushed him away.

"James I thought we discussed the whole public displays of affection thing," she said.

"You're such a meanie," groaned James jokily before finally wiping away his moustache on his sleeve. The four friends each recounted their trip over the butterbeers before Tigs spotted Lily come in with Dirk Cresswell and invited the pair over. Lily looked at the group, studied James' arm wrapped around Tigs' waist and politely refused their offer. But she _definitely_ didn't like James.

* * *

For the second night in a row, Lily found herself tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. She sat up and ran her hands through her hair. Why was she feeling this way? She didn't think she liked James, but what worried her more was her inability to be happy for Tigs. Tigs was her best friend and all Lily could do was be jealous. No. she was going to stop this. She was going to stop feeling this way. She had turned down James innumerable times. She definitely didn't like him.

A cool breeze ran over her making her shiver. She looked over to see the window wide open, a smoking Tigs sat by it. She got up and walked over to her friend, joining her perched on the windowsill.

"Hey Tigs,"

"What's up Lil," Tigs continued to smoke, and Lily took a huge breath of cold, fresh air.

"What's the deal with you and James," she asked. Tigs turned to face her.

"I don't know really we just enjoy spending time together I guess," when Lily seemed unsatisfied with that answer, Tigs continued "Plus he's a really good shag,"

"You've had sex already?!" gasped Lily a little too loudly, causing some of their roommates to stir slightly.

"Well yeah, we've had sex before so it's not a big deal,"

"You've had sex with James before now?" Lily tried to hide her surprise better this time, but didn't really succeed.

"Yeah, do you remember that end of school party we had in 5th year?" asked Tigs, Lily nodded.

"Well we both got really drunk and had sex in the boys dormitory," Tigs stubbed out her cigarette, Lily watched her, dumbstruck.

"How come you never told me?" she asked.

"Because it's not a big deal, neither of us were virgins. Besides, he's been with other girls since then and I've been with other guys so it's not like it really matters," The two girls sat in silence for a few minutes whilst Lily absorbed this new information and Tigs took out a fresh cigarette and lit it.

"Do you love him?" asked Lily pointedly, and Tigs almost choked.

"Jesus Lil!" she coughed.

"Sorry Tigs, I was just thinking, I don't know,"

"Its fine Lil, but no, no I don't love him. I'm not really the kind of girl who gets to be loved or fall in love. I'm too much of a bitch," The two friends stared at each other for a minute before bursting into laughter. Tigs hugged Lily and kissed her cheek.

"I love you though girly, you melted my frozen heart," laughed Tigs, hugging her friend.

"Love you too Tigsy," replied Lily, a smile spread across her face.

* * *

Hi everyone,

I know I haven't updated in ages so I'm so sorry! I made the stupid decision to write ahead and then it took me so long to come back to this part of my story! Thanks you so much if you're still reading an have stayed with me this far! This story has helped me so much and I love that I can share all these ramblings. Please please please review and let me know what you think might happen next!

Love and kisses,

ImagineHp


	10. Murders and Ministers

Murders and Ministers

It was the last day of November, and snow had begun to fall over the castle. Tigs was up earlier than usual, strolling through the frozen grounds with a cigarette in her hand. She had her grey coat wrapped tightly around her and she found her feet leading her steadily back towards the Quidditch pitch where she had played only a few weeks earlier. It had been a long and rough game, as games against Slytherin often were. Just looking at the pitch made Tigs' bruises twinge. The Gryffindor seeker, Aidan Lynch, had been violently knocked off his broom half way through by Avery, the Slytherin seeker, and was still recovering in the hospital wing. The game had lasted for over four hours before Avery, who was an awful seeker, finally caught the snitch. Thankfully, it made no difference to Gryffindors lead, and they won by one goal. There was to be another match this weekend, and she felt thankful that at least the Gryffindor game was played before the snow set in. She stubbed out her cigarette in the frozen ground and headed into the castle. Despite her detour, she was still very early to breakfast and got there before breakfast was even on the table. A single owl swooped in and flew towards her, dropping her copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and holding out its leg for payment. She paid it, all the while pondering why the owl had arrived so early. The Prophet didn't usually come in until at least 8:30, and it was only 7:45. When she unravelled the paper, all became clear. She didn't know why she'd got up so early. She didn't know why she hadn't spent longer on her makeup, or why she hadn't smoked two cigarettes. She didn't know why she'd not met up with James as she usually did. But all of these occurrences meant that she was stood alone in the Great Hall when she read the paper that morning.

* * *

Lily woke up to find the dormitory deserted. She checked the time on her alarm clock. 7:30. The usual time she woke up, if anything a little earlier as she usually snoozed for a while. Tigs was never there when she woke up, but the others usually were. The sound of water could be heard from the bathroom so someone must've been taking a shower. That only accounted for two of her roommates though, there was no telling where the others were. However, she didn't question it too much. She got changed into her uniform under the sheets as the cold air seeped in from outside. She had just pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and was about to apply some mascara when she heard a light tapping at the window. She walked over to see a small brown owl waiting to be let in. She opened the window and the owl flew in, dropping the _Daily Prophet_ on Amelia's bed. Lily paid it and it flew away. She watched it, perplexed. The _Daily Prophet_ always came in time with the morning post. She had never known it to come at any other time. In fact, she struggled to recall a time when any post had been directly delivered to their room, apart from Tigs' monthly copy of MME (Magical Musical Express). Curious, she picked up the paper and unrolled it. Amelia had just come out of the bathroom in a towel dressing gown and wet hair. All of Lily's curiosity drained away and was replaced by fear as her eyes moved unbelievingly across the front page.

"Lily are you okay?" asked Amelia.

Lily didn't know why she hadn't chosen to sleep in that morning. She didn't know why she hadn't continued to re-read _Pride and Prejudice_ as shed done every other morning that week. All she knew was that she would never forget the moment she read that headline.

* * *

RIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG

James fumbled about for his alarm clock, groaning. He finally found it and thumped it to make it quiet. He rolled over, trying to catch his sleep again. He'd been having a brilliant dream that he was captain of the English Quidditch team. He screwed his eyes up tight, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get back to sleep. The dream was gone. He sat up, yawning and admitting defeat. He looked over at the opposite bed where Peter was having a similar battle with sleep. Moony and Padfoot had gone already, probably down to the Common Room to get warm, though James. He got up slowly, wincing as his feet touched the cold stone. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes he flicked on the wireless, but more or less ignored as he picked out his clothes for the day. Then something caught his ear.

"Peter, get up," he said, firmly. Peter groaned and rolled over. "Now," shouted James, and the Marauder woke up.

"What-" he began.

"Shut up and listen to the wireless,"

* * *

Sirius and Remus were sat by the fire in the Common Room, idly playing exploding snap. Dorcas and Emmeline sat on the sofa opposite, watching the game absentmindedly. Remus was about to win when the game was interrupted by a manic, pyjama-clad James.

"Moony, Padfoot get up here," he said frantically, "You have to hear what they are saying on the wireless. Dorcas, Em you too." He then turned on his heel and headed back up the steps to the dormitory. The four looked at each other, confused. Sirius shrugged.

"Come on then," he said, and the others obliged. They entered the dormitory, where James and Peter were gathered around the radio. James had his head in hands, and Peter was just staring blankly at the bed frame. Remus was about to ask what had happened when a woman's voice on the radio cut through the still air.

" _Aurors discovered a massacre at a muggle campsite this morning. It is estimated that there are 112 dead. This just breaking- amongst the victims were three Hogwarts students who were holidaying with their parents. More details and names will be released as soon as the station hears more."_

The voice rang out through the cold air. The ensuing silence engulfing every one of them. Though none of them spoke, they all knew they were each thinking the same thing. _Who?_ The silence was broke by the sound of the door swinging open. Tigs entered through it, a newspaper clutched in her hands.

"I guess you've just heard then," The whole room nodded.

"I just can't believe it," she continued, "Oliver and Daisy, and god poor little Sam,"

"What?" asked James, the whole room had just turned to Tigs in shock, "How do you know it's them?"

"Daily Prophet published the names this morning," she held up the paper, "It's Oliver and Daisy Marshall, and Sam Collins, all muggleborns. Their families had gone on holiday together.

"Shit," breathed James.

"We had potions with Oliver,"

* * *

By early morning, the Marauders had moved the wireless down into the common room, and the whole of Gryffindor house huddled around it silently. A few students were crying, or had gone to their dormitories to do so, many had been friends with the victims. Tigs sat with her head resting on James' shoulder. The seventh years all sat together, all in a state of mutual shock and mourning. The Head Girl, Marlene McKinnon, had been in to inform that classes were postponed until further notice. There had been no new information in over an hour, so when the woman's voice came back on the radio announcing breaking news, the relative hush amongst the Gryffindors dropped even lower.

"It has been confirmed by aurors that this was a hate crime committed by the extremist group known as the Death Eaters." This came as no real surprise, but everyone felt their stomach drop at those words. Everyone understood what it meant.

"Furthermore, the Minister for Magic has released a statement that he intends to place more aurors on this investigation." Silence filled the air again. Tigs jaw dropped in disbelief. She had not expected the newsreader to stop there.

"No," she said suddenly, and rather loudly. The room turned to look at her.

"That can't be the Minister's statement, it can't be," she shook her head, "He can't continue to sweep this under the rug, the Death Eaters are committing atrocities out there every day and he never addresses it with anything more than the claim to put more aurors on the case or more dementors in Azkaban. Not this time," She stood up angrily and stormed up the stairs to the dorm her friends, and most of the room, watching her go.

* * *

"I can probably get most of sixth and seventh year, there will be plenty of younger ones who will want to come but I don't think we can really let them," Tigs talked on the phone very quickly, "Yes, no, in the atrium? But we won't be able to get in, I know, but as long as it gets _attention,_ what about Diagon alley? No I see your point, well- hold on I've got an owl tapping at the window-" Tigs balanced the phone on her shoulder and tore open the letter.

 _Hey Tigs,_

 _Its Frank, we met at Siobhan's party in the summer. Siobhan told my wife Alice about your plans and I think there's a way I can get you into the atrium. Half of you can floo from my house and my mate Oswald said he will take the other half, as long as you stagger the amount of people flooing it shouldn't be a problem._

 _See you there,_

 _Frank Longbottom_

The two addresses were written neatly at the bottom of the page. Tigs folded the letter neatly and put it in her pocket.

"Nate, we've got a way in,"

* * *

It was late afternoon before Tigs returned to the common room, after various attempts by her friends to check up on her. She strode over to the fireplace and cleared her throat. The room turned to look at her.

"For the last few hours I have been conversing with various witches and wizards from across the country, and we have come to the decision that the Minister's response to this massacre has not been appropriate. We will not give into fear. Today we have lost classmates, and for some of you, you have lost close friends. We cannot let them be forgotten. Tonight I will march in peace with other witches and wizards to the Ministry of Magic, and any sixth or seventh years who wish to join this memorial are welcome. We will meet here at 5, floo to London and then on to the Ministry. We cannot let hatred win. We will no longer allow the Dark Lord to murder our friends. We will not give into fear."

* * *

"Okay next 10," announced James, and the next group of students moved forward. After Tigs' speech, the Marauders and her roommates had all helped her to petition the other houses and the response was tremendous. Oliver had been a Hufflepuff and the other two Ravenclaws, so both houses had turned out in full. There was even a reasonable number of Slytherins attending. They all stood in the Gryffindor Common Room, which was more full than it had been in the day, and full of energy. Everyone knew what they were doing was completely against the rules and the law, but no one care. They had a higher cause.

"They're through," shouted Lily from the dorm, where she was on the phone to Alice Longbottom.

"They're through James," relayed Tigs, and James beckoned the next group of students to the fireplace. It wasn't long until the last students had all gone and all who remained in the common room were the sixth year Gryffindors.

"Ready?" asked Tigs.

"Ready." Replied her friends in unison.

* * *

Tigs was the last person, apart from Frank and Alice, to floo into the Ministry. The atrium was packed with witches and wizards of all ages and Tigs grinned. This was her doing, she had managed to rally people against the Minister, in the face of prejudice, and she had never been prouder. She began to walk through the crowd and James dropped in step next to her.

"Wow Tigs this is amazing, there must be over 500 people here," he said, in awe.

"I know I can't believe it either,"

"How did you do it?"

"I have some pretty good connections I guess," she replied vaguely, and James frowned, trying to work out who she meant.

"Hey Tigs!" a boy a few years their senior came running through the crowd to greet Tigs.

"Nate!" she exclaimed, and the pair hugged. James couldn't help feel a twinge of jealousy.

"We need you desperately…." James lost the rest as the pair walked off. He watched her go and although he wanted her to stay, returned back to his friends.

* * *

Reporters. Aurors. Members of the Wizengamot. Ministry workers. Singers. Authors. All of them called there by Tigs. She stood up on the Fountain of Magical Brethren. She took a deep breath. She was going to make the first public speech of her life to over 500 people. She slowed her breathing. They're all here because of _you_.

"Ladies, gentlemen and everyone in between," the crowd fell silent as her magnified voice cut through the din, "We are gathered here today for a reason. We have lost three members of the magical community today. They were all too young. They all deserved more. They all deserved more, all 112 of the dead. And even though I stand here today on the fountain of _magical_ brethren, I'd like us all to remember the members of the non-magical community who fell today. They were all innocent. They were all important. But their lives were taken from them by someone who believes they don't have the right to exist. This cannot be allowed to carry on. Everyone in this world has the right to exist, and to have that existence respected. Black, white, straight, gay, man, woman, pureblood or muggleborns. We are all humans. We are all one community. And the Death Eaters, no matter how hard they try, can never stop us from loving one another." This was met with uproarious applause.

"I now request that we all raise our wands as a sign of respect to those we've lost, something that was not demonstrated by the Minister for Magic today. For Oliver, for Daisy, for Sam, and for those whose names we may not know, we will remember you,"

* * *

"Frank, Nate get the Hogwarts students out now!"

"But Tigs-"

"I don't give a shit, do it now!"

Aurors flooded the auditorium, arresting the protesters. The once peaceful room had turned to utter chaos. Tigs searched the room with her eyes. Nate and Frank were getting the students out, but they weren't going to be quick enough. They needed help. Something to distract the aurors. Tigs didn't even think about it. Her heart raced. She climbed back on to the fountain, magnifying her voice again and shouted

"Hey dickheads!" The aurors all whirled around to look at her. She drew her wand.

"Bombarda maxima," she said calmly and the windows in the ministry offices all shattered at once.

* * *

Hello faithful readers!

I promised you I wouldn't take a year to update this time and here you go :) I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so please please let me know what you think! Reviews give me life! I left it on a bit of a cliffhanger here because I decided to split this chapter in two when it started to get too long, please let me know what you think might happen next! Won't be long until next update,

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	11. Remembrance and Reunions

Remembrance and Reunions 

"Who helped you?"

"I know you didn't do this all on your own,"

"Come on, tell me who it was that let you floo in,"

"We can find out who it was through the floo network anyway so you're not even helping anyone,"

"No you can't," Tigs spoke for the first time in almost twelve hours.

"W-w-what?" stumbled the auror.

"You're lying, there is no way to tell where a person has flooed from. Even with a chimney under surveillance it is only possible to tell where the person has flooed to," she said calmly.

"How do you know that?" said the auror.

"Please, that's OWL knowledge," replied Tigs. The auror asked her a few more questions, but she had stopped answering again. After about ten minutes, the auror finally admitted defeat and left the cell. Tigs pulled her coat around her and watched her breath fill the air. The cell was cold and grey, the walls and floor a bare concrete. There was a tiny, postcard size window near the ceiling which let in a single beam of light. She was sat on the hard little wooden bed that she had slept on the night before. She had just spent her first night in prison. Well, it was only a holding cell used by the Ministry but it was pretty much prison. Everyone else had made it to safety, Tigs' distraction had ensured that, and it would seem from the interrogation she'd sat through all morning that the Ministry had little to no idea who had been involved. She sat alone in the lock up for around two hours, thinking how desperately she wanted a smoke, before she was disturbed again.

"Looks like you're getting out without a charge, ginge," said the auror who had been interrogating her all morning. He was relatively young, so couldn't have been very experienced, but had an arrogant air to him. Tigs didn't like him at all. "Orders from the top," he finished, before turning on his heel and leaving once more. Tigs watched him go, confused. Why had they bothered to keep her in if they had planned to just let her go? Who 'at the top' had ordered her release? Didn't she need someone to bail her out?

"Edith," A disturbingly familiar voice echoed from the shadows of the corridor leading to the cells. Tigs felt sick.

"Fuck," she breathed. She wished she could escape, go anywhere rather than stay there. Hell, even Azkaban seemed inviting. But she couldn't get away. She had to face this.

"Edith, it's me," the woman came into the light in front of the bars of Tigs' cell. She was fair skinned with greying brown hair, scraped back into a tight bun. Her face was gaunt, a pair of spectacles balanced on a very pointed nose. It was a cruel face, and one Tigs had not laid eyes on for eight years.

"I know who you are, mother,"

* * *

Minerva McGonagall paced the floor of the Headmaster's office. She was consumed with rage. She couldn't believe that such a significant case of student disobedience had happened on her watch and, most embarrassingly, from her house Common Room. She was also furious that the movement had been led by her favourite student. Minerva had always recognised that Edith Tighe showed little regard for school rules, but she had never before gone out of her way to break them. Minerva was gripped with uneasiness at the thought of having to discipline a pupil who reminded her so much of herself, as Tigs had always shown the same headstrongness and innate ability to perform magic as she herself had.

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk patiently, watching his old friend pace the length of his office. It had been almost over an hour since he had received an owl to say that the Ministry had decided not to charge Edith Tighe, and that they would be returning her to the school via floo. He watched the clock tick by absentmindedly, all the while pondering how best to deal with this situation. On the one hand, Edith Tighe had shown an utter disregard for the school rules and, by extension, the law. However, she had stood up for a worthy cause and had demonstrated all the traits of a tolerant, clever and empowered witch. It was a tricky one.

A few more minutes passed like this between the Headmaster and Head of House before their thoughts were interrupted by the sound a person arriving through the fireplace. Minerva jumped and whirled around, marching over to where a dishevelled Tigs was stumbling out of the fireplace. All of the rage that had been building up over the past few hours instantly dissipated from her when she noticed the blood pouring from Tigs nose and the bruising on her face.

* * *

"We have to report this! This is a violation of human rights, you were in Ministry custody!" exclaimed McGonagall after mending Tigs' broken nose and helping to clean the blood off her face and neck.

"It's okay professor, this wasn't the Ministry," said Tigs wincing, her ribs ached.

"Who was it then dear?"

"It was my mother," Tigs took a deep breath, and the two professors exchanged glances, "She used to hit me so her and dad split up. I haven't seen her since then. Coincidentally, she also one of the top aurors in the country. Augusta Carrow. You might've heard of her,"

"Your mother is Augusta Carrow?" gasped McGonagall, and Tigs nodded. "I taught her for a year when I first started. She was a Slytherin and most unlike yourself, obsessed with blood-status as I remember,"

"That's her. She had a brief lapse in her pureblood mania and married my dad, a muggle plumber from Gorton," Tigs' ribs twinged again so she paused before carrying on, "Then spent the rest of her life regretting it, telling him every day how she'd given up the Carrow name for him. The he divorced her and she went back her family. They don't recognise me of course, I dirty their blood status." Silence filled the air. The words seemed to echo around the room, washing over all the listeners.

"And she-" McGonagall pause, "She did _this_ to you?" Tigs nodded in conformation. Minerva turned to face Albus, before turning back and concentrating her gaze back on Tigs.

"I will take 50 points from Gryffindor and you're to tell everyone that you have detentions with me until the end of the year, but I won't make you attend, you've suffered enough my dear. Now off to the Hospital Wing before I grow sick with worry,"

Tigs left and Minerva turned to face Albus.

"I can always trust you to do the right thing, Minerva,"

* * *

"So what happened?" asked Dorcas, and the group of friends all groaned, as they all heard the explanation a thousand times over as it was repeated every time someone else joined the small crowd around Tigs' hospital bed.

"As I said, I broke all the windows in the Ministry offices to create a distraction, and then ended up in a fight with an auror, which is why I'm in here," she had always been good at lying. "Then I spent the night in the holding cells and flooed back this morning."

"So what's it like being a convicted felon then Tigs?" grinned Sirius.

"She didn't get charged Sirius so she's hardly a con-" began Remus

"Shush Moony, she suits the devil-may-care vibe," Everyone laughed at this, including Tigs, even though it hurt her ribs to do so.

"Okay you lot, Miss Tighe needs her rest," said Madame Montessori and her friends left the hospital wing slowly, each biding their farewell to Tigs and giving her, much to Tigs displeasure, a hug.

* * *

"Tigs," Tigs sat up and scanned the dark hospital wing, her eyes finally found the origin of the voice. It was James.

"James, what are you doing here?"

"You didn't think I'd leave you here all alone did you?"

James clambered into the bed next to Tigs, it was a bit of squeeze but neither of them minded. Tigs rested her head on James' chest and he ran his fingers through her hair.

"So what happened to you lot after the protest?" asked Tigs at long last, her voice echoing around the hospital wing.

"We all flooed back to Hogwarts straight from the Ministry, we didn't want to incriminate Frank by all flooing back to his. Then we had a huge sleepover in the Common Room, not that anyone slept, everyone was still full of adrenaline from escaping the aurors, and me, well I was worried sick," he kissed the top of his girlfriend's head, "I don't know how many times I have to ask you but please don't do anything like that again Tigs, my blood pressure can't take it." Tigs laughed at this and eventually James joined in, the dread that had been building up over the past 24 hours was all gone again and the two drifted off into a deep, and much needed sleep.

"James, James!" Tigs' voice broke James sleep and he awoke with a start.

"What is it? Are you okay?" he blurted.

"I'm fine, but Madame Montessori is coming and she'll go mad if she sees you in bed with me!" The next few seconds were somewhat chaotic, James leapt up out of the bed and looked around frantically for somewhere to hide. There wasn't anywhere, and he could hear the door handle turning from Madame Montessori's door. Panicked, he sat down on the edge of the bed just as Madame Montessori walked in.

"Good morning Tigsy, oh Madame Montessori, I hope you don't mind me visiting Tigs this early it's just that we usually take a morning walk together," James tried his best to look innocent, grinning like an idiot at Madame Montessori. She took one look at him, from his messy hair, to his dishevelled clothes, to the sleep still present in his eyes, and his glasses folded neatly on the bedside table, and knew full well that he hadn't arrived in the hospital wing that morning.

"No problem James, in fact you two can still have your morning walk, Miss Tighe is free to go," Madame Montessori was a kind old woman, and she had a special fondness for the Marauders after observing their tenderness with Remus Lupin every full moon. She watched James leave with Tigs and smiled, reminiscent of her own days at Hogwarts.

* * *

The next few days of lessons passed incredibly slowly. Everyone was slowly adjusting to the harsh reality of the newspapers. The protest was the headline of every news source, Tigs' picture plastered over every copy of the _Daily Prophet_. Her speech published and re-published over and over again. The whole incident still seemed strangely distant, Hogwarts functioning as usual, and it appeared to the students that their school was a little self-contained world, separate from the world of Death Eaters and blood politics. However, reminders of the real world still crept in. The entire NEWT potions class found themselves somewhat fixated by the seat that was usually occupied by Oliver Marshall, its emptiness vast enough to swallow them all up. On the Thursday morning, Remus walked over to the seat and laid a bunch of tulips upon it. From then on, the spot became something of a memorial not only to Oliver, but to all who had lost their lives. Students of all ages brought items to place on it, some muggleborns having lost family members in the attack. Flowers, teddies, photographs, candles, letters and all manner of personal items adorned the front desk of the Potions room, and by Friday, Dumbledore elected to have the desk moved into the corridor with a plaque above it that read-

 _A memorial to all those who were lost in the Mull Massacre, 30_ _th_ _November 1976._

 _For Oliver, for Daisy, for Sam, and for those whose names we may not know, we will remember you._

* * *

The Quidditch match that weekend could not have come sooner. No game in history had been so enthusiastically anticipated than the match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw that year. The match offered something of a relief to the students, a way to escape from the world and have fun with their friends once more. The game seemed to most as one step closer to normality. The Quidditch commentator, Ivan Burns, started the game by requesting a three minute silence to commemorate those who died. The silence was respected by every student, even brutes like Avery and Mulciber knew it wouldn't be worth acting up.

The game had the relieving effect on the crowd that everyone had hoped it would. Hardly anyone could recall the winner as they headed back to the castle, their hearts a little warmer and the weight on their shoulders a little lighter.

* * *

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for reading! I promise their will be more Lily and James next chapter, please please please please review! Reviews are like chocolate cake,

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	12. Snowballs and Santa Claus

Snowballs and Santa Claus

The following month passed quickly for the students and teachers at Hogwarts. After the tragedy that had befallen the magical community at the end of November, school had become somewhat dullened, as though the shine and wonder had been removed. However, Christmas and all its festivities seemed to have helped return some of the magic back to Hogwarts. Soon the castle was adorned with tinsel, Christmas trees, and snow had begun to fall from the ceiling in the Great hall. Students began to make arrangements for the holidays, and it wasn't long before Professor McGonagall sent out the lists asking who was going home for Christmas. This decision soon fell upon the sixth year Gryffindors, and there was a strong force pulling them towards staying in the castle that year that wasn't there before. Each subconsciously concluded that having spent a term seeing friends mourning friends, they wanted to spend as much time with each other as possible. Of course there were other reasons as well. Tigs usually spent Christmas with her father and grandparents, but her grandmother had found a last minute holiday deal in the paper, so they had decided to go abroad. Tigs hated hot weather so had decided to stay at Hogwarts. Lily had discovered that Petunia's boyfriend had invited her parents over for Christmas dinner, and if she couldn't stand Vernon, she was sure she wouldn't like his family. Emmeline decided to stay after her now boyfriend Bertram Aubrey had asked her to, and also because she couldn't face the constant nannying she had to do now that her father had left. Amelia and Dorcas simply followed suit, not wanting to miss out on time with their friends. Sirius was the first Marauder to decide to remain at the castle, he certainly could not return to Grimmauld Place, and he had always worried, despite their seemingly unlimited hospitality, that he was intruding at the Potter's. James, therefore, stayed as well. Remus often found visits home difficult, as his mother and father had always treated him like a ticking time bomb, as though he could transform into a wolf at any moment. Peter as always, went along with whatever the Marauders decided. And thus it was that the sixth year group of friends decided to stay at school over the Christmas holidays of 1976.

It very quickly became evident that the sixth years were in fact the only Gryffindors to stay at school that year. If the school was quiet over Christmas normally, this year was another story. The Mull Massacre and the threat of an oncoming wizarding war had forced many students home, either by their parents' frightened demand or their own fearful desire. The sixth years, who had felt the need to come closer together rather than visit their individual families, had the entire common room to themselves, therefore spending many evenings playing gobstones, exploding snap, drinking games and more, all the while blasting Christmas music from the wireless. They also hosted a sleepover in there one night, which consisted of very little sleeping and awful lot of roasting marshmallows over the fire. Snow lay in thicker blankets across the castle that year, and the sixth years all knew in their hearts that this would be a beautiful, and much appreciated, Christmas.

* * *

SMACK! A snowball hit Tigs straight in the face, the cold stinging her nose and cheeks, the snow sticking to the red curls of her hair. She burst out laughing immediately, and so did its thrower, Lily. Tigs retaliated quickly, while her friend was still laughing and launched a snowball at Lily. It hit her chest, smashing over her purple coat. The two girls laughed at each other, before a bombardment of snowballs rained down around them. The Marauders had just found them and launched a full scale attack on the sixth year girls. Hogwarts snowball fights were the best, despite the biting cold the warmth of the friends laughter allowed them to stay out in the snow for hours on end.

* * *

James Potter warmed his frozen hands over the fireplace in Gryffindor Common Room. His damp coat, hat, scarf and gloves all lay in a pile, he'd shed them in the hopes of warming himself up. Despite the roaring fire, he still felt a chill in his bones, and absentmindedly wandered over to the window. He could see the snowball fight he had just left carrying on in full force, his friends launching snowball after snowball at one another. He was just debating the idea of going down to the kitchens for some hot food when the portrait hole opened, interrupting his thoughts. A rosy cheeked Lily Evans entered through it, her purple coat smattered with snow.

"Evans? Why aren't you with the others?"

"C-c-c-cold," she stuttered, pulling off her wet garments and throwing them into the pile with James'.

"Me too," he replied, and the pair stood in silence for a minute or two. James realised it was their first time alone together since he'd started dating Tigs', he wondered if Lily had made the same observation. She had.

"I was just about to go down the kitchens for something to warm me up," he said, almost subconsciously. He didn't know how to act around her now he wasn't 'chasing' her as such.

"Would you like to come?"

"I'd like that a lot James," she replied, and couple left the common room together.

* * *

"Oh so you want to go do you?" Remus wiped snow off his face, after just being hit by Tigs, "You want a real fight do you…EDITH?"

"Oh you've done it now Lupin, this means war," replied Tigs laughing, and the pair stood staring at each other for a second before both sprinting off in opposite directions to find cover to make snowballs. They both managed to make around four or five before leaping out from their cover and launching the snowballs at each other. Tigs ran out of snowballs first and decided to rugby tackle Remus instead of continuing to get hit by his onslaught. The pair fell to the ground in the snow, lying next to each other laughing full, whole-hearted laughs. Sirius joined them a few moments later, collapsing into the snow next to Tigs.

"Get up you lot, we're going to get a hot chocolate," shouted Emmeline, standing a few metres away with Bertram, Dorcas and Amelia.

"What?! We haven't even made a snowman yet," replied Sirius with indignation.

"Come on Sirius, we've been out her for four hours! Its freezing," pleaded Dorcas, her teeth chattering.

"I don't mind making a snowman with you Black," said Tigs.

"Yes Tigsy that's my girl," he bellowed enthusiastically.

"Go on inside and we'll join you in a bit," said Tigs, and she bid he friends farewell as her and Sirius began rolling up the body for the snowman.

* * *

Lily and James sat opposite each other, a bowl of hot soup in front of each of them. They had chatted all the way down to the kitchen and the conversation had reached somewhat of a lull. Lily observed the boy at across from her. She had conceded a long time ago that James was very good looking. His dark hair fell over his right eye, the slight curl obstructed by his sliver glasses. He nursed the bowl of hot soup before him, the cable knit burgundy jumper he was wearing obviously not yet warming him through. The next words Lily spoke slipped out unconsciously.

"So you and Tigs huh?"

"Yeah I guess,"

The pair made eye contact for a little too long, before each shifting their eyes to the ground instead. Both of them then found themselves trying to work out the thoughts of the other. The silence between them had just reached an awkward length, they were interrupted by the arrival of Dorcas, Amelia, Emmeline and Bertram.

* * *

"Okay that's the first part of the body," said Tigs, brushing snow off her gloves. Sirius nodded, observing the gigantic snow ball that lay on the ground between them.

"Next part then Tigsy," The pair began to roll up the next part of the body, when the subject turned to alcohol.

"Favourite drinking game?" asked Tigs, adding a pile of snow to the snowman.

"Definitely 'Never Have I Ever', no question," said Sirius confidently. Tigs laughed, not surprised that the Marauder's favourite game was one that involved the revelation of, often sexual, secrets.

"C'mon Tigsy lets play now,"

"Oh god,"

"I'll go first, never have I ever had sex,"

"Sirius come on we both know that we've both done that" Tigs rolled her eyes.

"Alright alright, never have I ever been in love,"

"I haven't, you know this is only fun with alcohol-"

"Wait you've never been in love?" said Sirius incredulously.

"Did I ever give you the impression I'm anything more than a cold hearted bitch?" laughed Tigs and Sirius grinned. Silence fell between them for a moment before Sirius spoke again.

"I read the other day that we accept the love we think we deserve," he said.

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing, I just think that you've decided you don't deserve to be loved, and that's why you've always let guys treat you like shit and why you're now dating a bloke who is clearly still desperately in love with your best friend,"

Tigs pondered this for a moment, Sirius felt a lump in his throat. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh.

"I don't think it's a question of love. I just do what makes me happy and, at the moment, James makes me happy,"

And that was the end of it. Tigs and Sirius finished their snowman and the topic of James and love was not brought up again. She and Sirius walked back into the deserted castle, taking the corridor to the kitchens. They found the painting of a bowl of fruit, an Sirius tickled a pear on the painting which then transformed into a green door-knob, revealing the doorway behind it. Their eyes were met by a roaring fire, plates upon plates of mice pies, and their friends gathered around the table that lay directly under the Gryffindor one. Tigs joined the group, sitting next to James who wrapped his arm around her middle. Tigs looked at Lily, who was sat opposite them, her pretty green eyes lingered on James and Tigs a little too long, and Tigs found herself unwrapping James' arm, Sirius' words still ringing in her ears.

* * *

"ITS CHRISTMAS!" squealed Lily across the silent dormitory, her friends still sleeping. Tigs groaned and rolled over, but Lily did not give in. She adored Christmas. She jumped on to her best friend's bed and began to shake Tigs violently.

"Alright Lil I'm getting up," laughed Tigs who, though trying to seem nonchalant, was equally excited for Christmas as Lily. The roommates got up quickly and threw jumpers and cardigans over their pyjamas before heading downstairs to the Common Room. The Marauders were already there, having waited for the girls before opening their presents.

"Merry Christmas girlies!" bellowed Sirius, who was already wearing a paper hat and tinsel tied around his neck like a scarf. The friends all exchanged their own "Merry Christmases" (with James giving Tigs what he thought was a subtle kiss) before sitting down on the plush sofa and armchairs. They all opened the presents from family first, and then exchanged their secret Santa presents.

The rest of the day seemed to fly by in, as Christmas day often is, a somewhat anti-climactic manner. The dinner was as exceptional as always, especially as the Gryffindors were some of the few in the hall. The teachers all got in on the festivities, seeming even more into the Christmas spirit than usual. It was round 8 o'clock before the friends all staggered back to Gryffindor tower, their bellies aching and their pockets stuffed with mince pies.

* * *

"I'm off to bed too," yawned Lily, following Dorcas and Amelia upstairs to the dormitory. Remus, James and Tigs were the only ones left in the Common Room, with everyone in bed and Sirius and Peter making one last venture down to the kitchen in search of food. James and Tigs sat next to each other on the sofa, Remus in the armchair next to them reading a book.

"Shall we go up to bed? We can sneak into one of the other dorms for tonight," whispered James.

"Yeah just let me have a smoke," replied Tigs and James nodded. He got up and headed up the steps to the dorm, while Tigs went over to the window and took out a cigarette. She has almost finished her cigarette when Remus came over towards her with a Christmas present in his hand.

"Merry Christmas Tigs," he said and, with no further explanation, handed her the present and left. Tigs stood there for a minute, perplexed. She threw the cigarette butt into the fire and tore the wrapping paper off the present. It was a David Bowie vinyl called "Low". Tigs stared at it disbelievingly. She had been reading about this album for months in MME and it didn't come out for almost another three weeks. Remus must've had listened to her incessant ramblings about it, and how he had got it she didn't know. It would have been a great deal of effort.

* * *

The speed at which the school refilled for December 31st was incomprehensible. It was now an annual tradition that the Marauders would host one of their infamous parties every New Year's Eve, and with Peter's accidental discovery of the Room of Requirement, this year's party promised to be bigger and better than any that had gone before. Anyone who was anyone ensure that they were back at Hogwarts in time for New Year, and even the teachers turned a blind eye to the students celebrations. The Room of Requirement had expanded to the size of the Great Hall, adorned with banners and a huge clock that counted down to midnight. There was a huge table that sagged under the weight of the food and drink that was stacked upon it. Students from all houses began to file in, dressed in their very best clothes, at around 9 and it wasn't long before the room was full. There was an energy in the air that night that was distinctive to New Year celebrations, full of optimism and the desire for new beginnings, an unfounded hope that the next year would be better than the last.

* * *

11:55pm, 31st December 1976

" _Okay last chance to find your midnight kiss! And remember it CANNOT be your boyfriend or girlfriend,"_

11:56pm, 31st December 1976

" _Who are you going to kiss?"_

" _I don't know, who are you kissing?"_

" _I don't know either!"_

11:57, 31st December 1976

" _Jesus padfoot why did you have to make up such a dumb rule?!"_

" _Because it's funny"_

" _Well who are you kissing?"_

" _I don't know yet,"_

11:58pm, 31st December 1976

" _You're kissing James?"_

" _Yeah who are you kissing?"_

" _Samantha,"_

" _Oh my god Mil did you just say you were kissing Samantha? Get in there girl,"_

11:59, 31st December 1976

" _Well remember she's still my girlfriend padfoot I'll be keeping a close eye,"_

" _Don't watch us kiss prongs that's well pervy"_

" _For god's sake padfoot,"_

00:00, 1st January 1977

" _HAPPY NEW YEAR!"_

* * *

"Hey Tigs," yawned James, collapsing down on to the bench next to his girlfriend. It was icy cold, and they sat looking across the frozen lake and snowy mountains. The scene had lost all the whimsy and wonder it had possessed before Christmas, and now seemed bleak and desperate. James yawned again, still tired from the party the night before. Tigs, however, seemed wide awake.

"James, we need to talk," she breathed.

"Sure Tigsy, what's up?"

"I-I-" she took a deep breath to compose herself, "I don't think we should be together anymore,"

"What?"

"I really really like you James, a lot more than I've ever liked anyone, but-" she stuttered on this word, "You still love Lily,"

"No I don't Tigs, I love y-"

"James it's okay, you love her, you always have and you always will. I can't stand in the way of that anymore,"

"But I really like spending time with you," he replied at long last, his voice cracking.

"We can still be friends, I just think it's better for both of us if we don't date,"

"I promise to stay your friend James," she reiterated.

"I meant everything I said to you Tigs, I still do love you, I'm sorry that I still love her,"

"You don't have to apologise," James pulled Tigs into a tight hug and the pair shared their last kiss, tears filling both of their eyes.

* * *

Hello everyone!

Little bit of a longer chapter here, hope you enjoyed! Also, I stole a quote from Perks of Being a Wallflower fro this chapter because I love taht book and I love that quote (it also perfectly sums up Tigs).Please leave me reviews, it makes my day,

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	13. Seventeenths and Soul

Seventeenths and Soul

January infected Hogwarts like the flu, the students all becoming drowsy and disengaged. Anyone who didn't know better might assume that a pack of dementors had been set upon the school. As the buzz of the Christmas holidays had worn off, the crushing reality of months more of short days, cold weather and grey skies had set in. Furthermore, the increasingly frightening political atmosphere and rising success of the death eaters seemed much worse without the promise of mince pies and carolling. The knowledge of Tigs' and James' break up had spread around the school like wildfire, and although the pair were both still very good friends, others couldn't help but notice the new found disconnect between Tigs and her long standing best friend Lily. Rumours of infidelity were rife, but both Tigs and James defended the other against them. In fact, the end to their relationship hadn't made much of a different to their friendship at all, although Remus had told Lily that James had cried for the first few nights after the breakup. Tigs, as usual, was completely unreadable. It was safe to say that many people were anxious for Tigs' birthday party, worried that the collection of all the sixth year Gryffindors would cause some kind of argument.

* * *

"So are you excited for your birthday?" asked Remus, while Tigs poured flobberworm juice into their cauldron.

"Yeah I guess, it'll be good to be of age," replied Tigs, "That just needs to boil for 20 minutes now,"

"You really concentrate when you make potions don't you?"

"So what?"

"Nothing, it's just cute,"

"Don't you 'cute' me Remus Lupin," The pair laughed together before Tigs spoke again.

"I've been meaning to ask, how did you get me that Bowie album for Christmas?"

"My dad has a friend who works for MME, they got copies of the album early so they could review it,"

"Jesus Remus you didn't have to do that for me. You didn't have to get me anything at all,"

"I wanted to," Remus smiled, "I could tell that things weren't going that well with James and I just wanted to cheer you up,"

* * *

Tigs sat in the empty dormitory and pulled off her Quidditch boots. Despite the freezing temperatures outside, sweat dripped from her brow and into her messy hair. James had gone relatively easy on them in practice, as he was conscious of tiring people out before Tigs' birthday celebrations. It was the night before Tigs' birthday, Friday 14th January to be exact, and Tigs was just about to shower in preparation for the plans they had for the night. She pulled off her other boot and had just got up to go shower when Lily entered the dorm.

"Hey Lil," said Tigs, turning to pick up her towel.

"Hi Tigs," Lily seemed worried about something, "Tigs wait, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," said Tigs, slightly reluctantly, plonking back down on the bed.

"I just want to apologise, I was a bit jealous when you started dating James and I should have been happy for you, I'm sorry"

Tigs' expression softened greatly.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything Lil," she smiled, hugging her friend.

"Thanks Tigs, what time are we meeting tonight?"

"Everyone is getting to the common room for about midnight and we'll be heading off to Hogsmeade from there,"

"You're sure we won't get caught?"

"No, but isn't that all part of the fun?"

* * *

It was 12:01 when Tigs entered the Common Room that night. She was met by the shout of "Happy Birthday!" from her friends, who had all gathered in there whether they were coming out or not. Amelia, Emmeline, Dorcas and Peter all bade farewell at around five past 12, as they had decided not to take the risk of leaving the castle. Tigs perched on the window sill, dressed in an a-line skirt and a Fred Perry polo, rolling a cigarette between her fingers. A few moments later, they heard a knock at the portrait hole and James got up to answer it. Two sixth year girls stood there, waiting to be let in.

"Hi guys," said Tigs to the Slytherin and Ravenclaw, and the two girls stepped inside in the Common Room . Both were dressed similarly to Tigs, and the others began to wonder if they missed the memo on the Fred Perry shirts.

"Everyone this is Molly, and this Maud. Molly, Maud, this is everyone," said Tigs gesturing towards James, Sirius, Remus and Lily. This introduction, however, wasn't entirely necessary, as the group had come into contact with both of Tigs' friends at many times during their school careers. Molly, an exceptional pretty dark haired girl with a thick Irish accent, had kissed James at the end of year party that summer, and Maud a tall and very beautiful blonde, had been having a sort of on/off relationship with Sirius since fourth year.

"Everyone ready to go?"

* * *

The sixth years used disillusionment charms to sneak down through the one-eyed witch passage, which the Marauders reluctantly showed to them. It was round half past 1 when they finally found themselves in the cellar of Honeydukes. They all stood in a circle, an old hairbrush lying between them.

"What time does it leave?" asked Molly.

"In 2 minutes," replied Tigs, checking her watch.

"I still don't get where we're going," said James.

"Well you'll soon find out," laughed Tigs.

"It'll be the best night of your life," said an excited Maud

"Yeah us three went to our first one in summer and we've been obsessed ever since," Moly gestured to her, Maud and Tigs.

"Oh so that's where you were all summer?" asked Lily pointedly, folding her arms.

"Well that's two minutes!" declared Tigs, ignoring Lily's question. The hairbrush in front of them began to glow a purple-blue and each of them reached down to touch it. Remus had just put his finger on the handle when the group felt themselves whirling through the air before being thrown down on to the ground again.

The friends found themselves stood in a non-descript alley way, the hairbrush lying between them, no longer glowing.

"Where are we?" asked Sirius, studying his surroundings.

"Wigan," replied Tigs.

"Wigan?!" exclaimed the Marauder, "Your big birthday night out is in Wigan?!"

* * *

A huge queue, about four or five people wide, snaked down the road from the Wigan Casino. Tigs, Molly and Maud all walked straight past it confidently, the other Gryffindors trailing behind. They stepped to the front of the queue, and with a few words from Tigs to the bouncer, were allowed to pass through into the dance hall before everyone else. Their eyes were met by a huge wood panelled dancefloor, already full of people who were dressed similarly to Tigs. The Gryffindors stepped in and stared around.

"Welcome," said Tigs, "To Northern Soul,"

* * *

"This place is mental,"

"What?"

"I said this place is metal," Remus raised his voice over the loud soul music blasting out of the speakers spread across the room.

"Oh right yeah," replied Sirius, "Shame they don't serve booze though," The Marauders both held their paper cups of orange squash rather dejectedly.

"Yeah I guess, I'm just glad Tigs has found something she enjoys that doesn't involve firewhisky,"

"Yeah moony," replied Sirius, but Remus was sure that he hadn't heard a word he'd said.

"What's Tigs doing?" asked Sirius, and Remus scanned the room before his eyes rested on her. She was stood in the corner chatting rather secretively to a very tall muggle bloke. She passed him something and he gave her something in return.

"I don't know but it doesn't look good,"

* * *

"Hey fellas, you having a good time?" smiled Tigs.

"Yeah this place is fun," said Sirius.

"Who were you talking to over there?" blurted Remus, a little more aggressively than he had intended.

"Oh he wanted to make a deal with me," said Tigs nonchalantly.

"What?!" exclaimed Sirius and Remus in unison, both of them thinking the worst.

"Don't get your wand in a knot, it's just a vinyl exchange," said Tigs laughing, "Look around, everyone's doing it." Sirius and Remus scanned the crowd where, quite obviously, lots of people were swapping singles with each other.

"Have you seen Molly and Maud?"

"Yeah they're dancing over there," Sirius pointed across the dancefloor.

"Right well I need to talk to them about something, but once I'm back you two are dancing with me," and with that Tigs turned on her heel and headed across the dancefloor. She met her friends reasonably quickly, who were dancing with a rather good looking muggle boy.

"Hey guys, fancy taking things a little faster?" Tigs held out three small white tablets, she and her friends taking one each.

* * *

" _Sometimes I feel I've got to_

 _Run away I've got to_

 _Get away"_

Tigs squealed loudly and ran over to Remus.

"OhMyGodRemusILoveThisSongSoMuchYouHaveToDanceYouJustHaveToComeOnAndDanceWith Me," Tigs blurted incredibly fast as she pulled Remus on to the dancefloor. Remus obliged, perplexed but buzzing off Tigs' energy.

The world around Tigs blurred into one warm orange colour. She could see her face reflected in the polished wood floor. The music rang through her ears and consumed her. She spun around, or the room span around her. She couldn't hear anything but the music, the voices of Gloria Jones, Dusty Springfield and Frank Wilson the only thing keeping her consciousness. People became faceless, she felt sweat dripping down her back and her hair was moist. Remus' hands in hers were the only thing that mattered, this music, this dancing, this night, everything else was inconsequential.

* * *

Tigs vomited violently on to the cold hard pavement. She had just dashed outside, leaving her friends inside. Sick splattered the concrete, narrowly missing her doc martens. She stood up straight and felt her head spin. Feeling as though she might fall over, Tigs collapsed on to the curb being sure to avoid the sick.

"You okay Tigs?" came the voice of Remus, who sat down next to Tigs.

"I feel really sick," she mumbled, her eyes welling up with tears.

"It's okay Tigs, come here," Remus put his arm around Tigs and pulled her closer to him. she rested her head on his shoulder glumly.

"I'm sorry, I never should have taken it,"

"What did you take?"

"Speed, it's a muggle thing, helps you stay awake for longer,"

"It doesn't matt-"

"Yes it does Remus, I'm so dumb I shouldn't do shit like this," she said, covering her face, Remus could tell she was crying. He rubbed his hand on her back to help calm her down, it seemed to work.

"Where are Molly and Maud?" asked Tigs rather abruptly and, although there were tears etched down her face, her eyes were dry once more.

"Sirius has taken Maud back, and I think Molly is still inside with Lily and James,"

"But they're both okay aren't they?"

"Yeah, Maud was just a little emotional, and Molly is super giddy," This made Tigs laugh a little and she once again rested her head on Remus' shoulder.

"You're such a good friend to me Remus,"

* * *

"I think we should go," said James, who had just arrived with a tired Lily and a surprisingly normal seeming Molly.

"Me too," said Remus, "Tigs sweetie you need to wake up now." Remus gently shook Tigs, who was snoozing on his shoulder. Tigs woke up and looked around confused.

"When did we get here?" she asked, studying everything from the street, to her friends, to the vomit on the road next to them.

"About 20 minutes ago," replied Remus, helping Tigs to her feet.

"How do we get back?" asked Lily, and the friends all looked around.

"I never set up a portkey for the way back," said Tigs at long last.

"Jesus Tigs," sighed James, "We'll have to apparate,"

"But we're not even properly trained!"

"Have you got a better idea Evans?" snapped James, "Moony, you take Tigs and I'll take Molly and Lily,"

"Prongs I'm not sure about this,"

"It'll be fine moony, just imagine the Honeydukes cellar and before you know it we'll all be there,"

* * *

"Is everyone okay, did anyone splinch? DID ANYONE SPLINCH?" James frantically checked over his friends, quickly finding that no one had splinched. They all stood in the cellar, and from the lights down there, could see how dishevelled they had become in the hours they had spent out. It was 7 o'clock in the morning, and though it was still dark over Hogwarts, it was now an acceptable time for them to be roaming the halls, so there was no need for them to use a disillusionment charm to get back to the dorm. James offered to walk Molly back to Ravenclaw Tower, so Tigs, Lily and Remus made their way to their dorms alone. Exhausted and sleepy, the trio set on up the stairs to their respective dormitories when Tigs interrupted them.

"This was the best birthday ever," she said, a grin spread across her tired face.

"You're insane," said Lily, and the three of them burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

* * *

Hello everyone,

I really really enjoyed this chapter, as I like tying in the wizarding world with muggle history :) Please please please review

Love and kisses,

ImagineHP


	14. Valentine's and Vodka

Valentine's and Vodka

"Can you hurry up Mol?" said Tigs irritably.

"One second Tigs," Molly Lynch braided her long dark hair in the mirror of the first floor girls' bathroom while her friend Tigs stood waiting impatiently. Molly's dark hair was the opposite of her friend's, for it was dark and poker straight. Her skin was tanned and her eyes a pretty shade of olive green. It was fair to say that Molly demanded as much attention as Tigs, and was widely admired by members of the opposite sex from all over the school. Her blue tie was tied very short, ending just before the start of her jumper, and she wore a fitted skirt rather than the official pleated one. She shared Tigs' disregard for the uniform rules who was, on that day, wearing black jeans with her school jumper. The sister of Aidan Lynch, Molly had met Tigs that summer at a Holyhead Harpies match. Tigs was already friendly with her brother, as they both played for the Gryffindor team, and had played Molly on numerous occasions, as she was a Ravenclaw chaser. The pair became friends instantly and had spent most of their remaining summer at various parties and clubs. That day, they had just left Defence Against the Dark Arts, which had been a practical lesson, and Molly requested that she could re-do her hair in the bathroom.

"Right I'm done," announced Molly, tying off her braid with an elastic.

"Good we can go before Myrt-" began Tigs but she was interrupted by a high-pitched wailing. The ghost of a young girl flew out of the cubicle to their right.

"Of course you're trying to avoid me, no one likes little old moping moaning Myrtle," wailed the ghost.

"Sorry Myrtle, but we're late," said Molly firmly.

"Too late to talk to me but not so late you could do your hair," replied an angry Myrtle.

"We really need to go," Tigs reasserted, this was exactly what she had been hoping to avoid.

"Alone again, and so close to Valentine's Day," Myrtle began to cry, but Tigs and Molly managed to run out of the bathroom before they heard anymore.

* * *

"Are you sure about this party?" said an exasperated Remus, running a hand through his hair, "We've done so many this year already and we haven't done a Valentine's Day one before,"

"Yes Remus we have to," snapped James, and then softening his tone, "Things are going okay between me and Lily right now and this would be my chance to ask her out,"

"Oh yeah because you've never done _that_ before," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Fuck off," replied James, "I think I have a chance this time,"

"Well I guess Prongs has got to do what Prongs has got to do," said Peter through a mouthful of pumpkin pasty.

"Exactly Peter! It doesn't even take any effort now we've found the room of requirement,"

"I guess," said Remus dejectedly, he couldn't help but think things had been much easier when James was dating Tigs.

* * *

"Hey Lil,"

"Hi Tigs, Hi Mol," said Lily, dumping her bag down on the grass next to the two girls. Books clattered around in her bag, the teachers had set a lot of work in the new year and she was a little overwhelmed.

"Who are you going to the Valentine's Party with?" Molly asked Lily, while Tigs lit a cigarette.

"Funny you should ask," grinned Lily, "Dirk just asked me,"

"Dirk Cresswell? He's gorgeous," said Molly enthusiastically, "It also means that Tigs owes me a galleon,"

"What? Why?"

"We had a bet on whether you'd go with James or not,"

"Why would I go with James?" asked Lily. Tigs and Molly exchanged glances.

"Let's call it… _intuition_ ," said Tigs.

"You two are so annoying when you're together," laughed Lily.

* * *

"Hi everyone," said Maud, walking over to where the sixth year girls sat on the grass. She, Amelia and Dorcas had walked there together from Care of Magical Creatures. Maud Nott was a tall and slender girl, with shoulder length blonde hair. She was exceptionally pretty and had an extraordinary aptitude for arithmancy. A member of one of the most ancient wizarding families in England, she was of the exact blood status Sirius' parents would approve of. Therefore, through no fault of her own, her relationship with Sirius was somewhat rocky. Although Maud herself was a tolerant witch, the pureblood mania her family represented was sometimes an unhappy reminder of a past he'd left behind. At that point, however, things were going well for the couple, much to the anger of Dorcas.

"Hi girlies," said Lily as Dorcas, Amelia and Maud sat down on the grass next to them.

"Have you got dates for this party yet?" asked Dorcas.

"We were just talking about that," replied Molly, " _Lily_ has,"

"With James?"

"No, Dirk," sighed Lily.

"Is James free then?" teased Dorcas.

"I think we're about to find out," said Tigs, pointing her cigarette at the group of boys headed towards them. The Marauders reached them in a matter of seconds.

"Hey Lily, can I talk to you?" asked James, a little more sheepishly than normal. Lily agreed, and the pair walked away from the group until they were out of earshot.

"How are you?" asked James.

"Yeah I'm good," she replied.

"I was wondering if, "James paused and took a breath, "If you want to go to the Valentine's party with me,"

"Oh James, I'm sorry, I'm going with Dirk," Lily said, rather more gently than she had turned him down in the past. James felt a lump in his throat, his mind flooding with all the feelings of rejection he had experienced in the past. Sadness, inadequacy, anger and regret bubbled up inside him.

"Okay no problem, I was planning on asking Molly anyway," he said, not meeting her eye.

" _James_ ,"

"Its fine Lily, honest. I hope you have a good time with Dirk,"

* * *

"Put some music on Tigs," sighed Lily, sitting up from lounging in her bed. Tigs jumped down form the windowsill and placed a record on the player. Her new David Bowie album blared out of the speakers.

"You know, you'll probably end up getting off with someone anyway," said Lily, sitting down at the mirror to start applying her makeup, "That gorgeous Ravenclaw in the year above has always had a bit of a thing for you."

"I don't really care Lil, I don't believe in Valentine's day. It's just been made up by card companies to make us spend more money," protested Tigs. Although it was true that she hated Valentine's Day, she had been surprised that _no one_ had asked her to go to the party. Lily had Dirk, Emmeline had Bertram, Molly was going with James, Amelia with Remus, Maud with Sirius and Dorcas with Benjy. Yet Tigs, _Tigs_ , had no one.

* * *

Tigs stood in the seventh floor corridor, studying the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy on the opposite wall. The sound of the Sex Pistols grew quieter and eventually fell silent as the door to the party slammed shut. The romantic mood and the numerous couples at the party had made Tigs feel rather queasy. She slipped her hand into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a tiny glass vial filled with black liquid. She studied it for a moment, before uncorking it and downing the lot. What's the worst that could happen, she thought as she headed back into the party.

* * *

" _Tigs?"_

" _Tigs!"_

" _Tigs can you hear me?"_

" _Has she passed out?"_

" _Tigs please wake up?"_

" _Tigsy please talk to me!"_

" _I didn't see her drink that much,"_

" _Me neither,"_

" _Is she okay?"_

* * *

A small crowd had developed around the unconscious Tigs, who was lying on the cold stone floor. Remus and Molly knelt next to her, both delving into the depths of their medical knowledge in an attempt to resuscitate their friend. Remus was just about to revert to muggle methods when Tigs began to move again. It was not, however, in the way they had expected. She began to fit violently, her entire body shaking. The Marauders all attempted to restrain her, for fear that the fit might cause her even more harm. After a few minutes, the fit finally stopped and Tigs lay still once more, blood dripping from her nose.

"I'm taking her back to the dorm," said Remus, his voice shaking, and he lifted Tigs off the floor and headed through the corridors. The room remained in a state of shock, the sight they had just seen was rather disturbing. After a few minutes, Maud, James, Lily and Molly decided to follow Remus back to the dorm.

Remus practically ran through the castle, casting the counter spell to the glisseo spell on the stairs to the girls dorm, and gently laying Tigs down on the bed. He was thankful that he had made it back with her before she had begun to fit again. Maud, James, Lily and Molly entered a few a moments later, all of them red faced and out of breath.

"What _the fuck_ is happening?" James panted. The friends looked between themselves and the unconscious Tigs, and it became clear that no of them had any idea what to do. The silence between them had dragged out a little too long when it was interrupted by a sharp intake of breath by Tigs. She sat up abruptly and began to violently wretch.

"Accio," muttered Remus, and the waste paper bin flew across the room just in time for Tigs to throw up into it. The sixth years immediately crowded around the bed.

"What did you take Tigs?" demanded Maud, gripping her friends shoulder, her reaction was almost instinctive. "What did you take?"

"BB potion," she spluttered, before she passed out once more. Maud and Molly exchanged a concerned look.

"BB potion?" asked Lily, perplexed.

"Baneberry potion," explained Molly, "It's kind of a drug, the lead singer of Dead Dragons is always taking it,"

"It has some serious side effects," breathed Maud, "Like people have died kind of serious side effects,"

"We have to take her to the hospital wing," said Lily, at long last.

"We can't, she'd be turned into the authorities before morning," sighed Molly.

"What _the fuck_ do we do?" said James. The group of friends stood around as though they had been stupefied, each feeling more helpless than the last.

"It must have an antidote right?" began Remus, "Lily, I hate to ask but-"

"I can't'-" Lily shook her head.

"Of course, Snape!" exclaimed James.

"I'm sorry, I can't face him. I just can't."

"Lily we don't have a choice, she could die," said Remus, firmly. Lily observed her best friend, from the blood pouring down her lips, to her clammy forehead, to the small amount of saliva that was foaming at her mouth.

"Okay I'll go," she said.

* * *

Lily and Maud walked almost silently through the corridors of Hogwarts that night. Maud led the way through the winding staircases down to the Slytherin Common Room. They were about half way there when Maud finally spoke.

"I guess Tigs is having a worse time at the moment than we thought," she said, matter-of-factly.

"What makes you say that?"

"She did this in summer, this drug taking thing, after her dad had a heart attack,"

"What? Her dad had a heart attack?"

"Yeah, she didn't tell us of course. Me and Mol found the medical notes at her house. That time it was LSD, then she had a brief affair with speed, but she seemed to stop after about a month. It wasn't until her birthday that she took it up again,"

"Looks like we're here," announced Maud, and she gave the password. The two girls entered the common room, which was aglow with green light. The light was dappled across the room, lighting it up in spots of emerald. Maud left Lily in the underwater room, heading up the stairs to the boys dormitory. She returned a few moments later, dragging with her a rather disgruntled looking Severus Snape.

" _Lily_ ," he breathed, on sight of his once best friend.

" _Sev,"_ The two stared at each other for a moment, years of important friendship flashing before their eyes. Both felt a nostalgic smile spread across their face, before the memories of the betrayal, the humiliation, and the reasons for the end of their friendship resurfaced.

"What do you want?" snapped Severus.

"I'm sorry Sev, I wouldn't be here if it weren't an absolute emergency," Lily felt a lump in her throat, "It's just that Tigs has taken Baneberry potion, and you're the best person at potions I know,"

"Let me guess, you want me to make you the antidote,"

"I know it's a lot to ask, but _please_ Sev," Lily pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. Severus looked into Lily's eyes and felt his heart wrench. If there was a chance, any chance, that he could be forgiven by Lily, he was willing to take it.

"Fine, but just this once,"

* * *

"Where are they?" Remus said impatiently.

"They'll be here soon." At that point, Lily and Maud entered the dorm, a small vile of clear liquid in their hand. Lily handed the vile to Remus, who held Tigs' nose until her mouth opened.

"Wait, are you sure we can trust this?" said James.

"What choice have we got?" asked Molly.

"Sev is no murderer, we can trust this, I doubt it will make her worse than she is," concluded Lily, with false confidence. Remus poured the contents of the vial into Tigs mouth. Tigs coughed slightly, but her appearance instantly improved. Her skin regained some of its flush, and the clamminess of her forehead disappeared.

"I think it's worked," said Remus, resting his hand on Tigs' forehead, "She isn't burning up anymore," Everyone in the room breathed a silent sigh of relief. After a few minutes they all, apart from Remus, decided to return to the party, in the knowledge that Tigs was on the mend.

* * *

It was 2:30 am, and the Marauders Valentine's Day party was in full swing. The sixth years found themselves getting much more drunk than usual, all wishing to drink away the stress of the events earlier that night. Most of them could be found drunkenly kissing their dates on the dancefloor. However, there were a few exceptions. As Remus sat by the now sleeping Tigs' bed, the sound of the dormitory door made him start. Amelia and Samantha stumbled through it. Remus had no time to announce himself but the pair began to kiss, he looked on awkwardly, not sure whether to avert his gaze. Luckily, the pair left a few moments later.

James Potter sat in the seventh floor corridor smoking a cigarette, taking swigs from a bottle of firewhisky and feeling very sorry for himself. He was rather good at sulking, he had spent many an hour moping over Lily in the past. He barely even noticed his date, Molly, sit down next to him.

"Pining after Lily again?" she asked, irritably.

"No matter what I do, I'm never good enough for sainted Lily," he moaned.

"You haven't exactly done anything for _her_ , James,"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, all you've ever done is ask her out, you never actually made any effort to get to know her,"

"It's not of any of your business Mol," snapped James, angrily.

"It is actually. You shouldn't have asked me out if you were just going to mope around over Lily. You need to get your act together mate. You've spent countless hours sulking about Lily Evans and I bet you couldn't even tell me her middle name, or her favourite book." Molly was angry now, and James looked at the ground sheepishly, "You either need to make an effort to get to know her, and really make an effort, or you have to get over her. You can't carry on like this, you're just hurting everyone, including yourself."

* * *

Tigs woke up at 4 o'clock that morning, a crippling headache making her ears ring. Remus Lupin was sat upon a chair he had made by transfiguring the bedside table, sleep clouding his eyes. He was still awake, but barely.

"Remus?" said Tigs, her voice breaking from lack of talking.

"Hi Tigs," mumbled Remus, sitting up, "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," she laughed, "But it's my own fault. Have you been up all night?"

"Yeah I stayed to make sure you're okay, I never much rated those parties anyway,"

"I'm sorry Remus," The two friends stared at each other for a moment, a little understanding between them.

"You can't sleep on that stool Remus, just sleep in here there's plenty of room,"

"Oh I couldn't,"

"It's fine, honest,"

"No please,"

"I insist." Eventually Remus clambered into the bed next to Tigs and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Why did you take it Tigs?" he asked at long last.

"I don't know,"

* * *

Hello everyone,

Please please please review!

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	15. Bottles and Birthdays

Bottles and Birthdays

March was a dreary month at Hogwarts. The snow had melted and the frozen ground defrosted. The remote location seemed bleaker than ever as the spring rain set in. The reality of the proximity of the end of year exams set in, and a general bad mood settled over the school. For James Potter, however, March was the best month of all, for that was the month of his birthday. James was used to expensive presents from his parents and an excuse to demand great deals of attention at his, usually enormous, birthday party. Remus too had his birthday in March and, though it was usually overshadowed by James', had enjoyed having a small party in the Common Room in recent years. However, that year, the Marauders found themselves not anticipating March as much as they usually did. They had thrown more parties than ever that year, and after the somewhat disastrous Valentine's party, which had ended with many a fight and drunken mistake, they all secretly wished for a quiet month.

* * *

James sat in the quiet dormitory, absentmindedly flicking through a copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ that was long overdue to be taken back to the library. A scrap of parchment sat on the bedside table next to him. There was a small handwritten inscription upon it that read-

 _James Potter will officially become an adult on 27_ _th_ _March. Join us in the Gryffindor Common Room on Saturday 26_ _th_ _at 9. Be there, or be square_

James shut the book and picked up the scrap of parchment. He read through it again three times before screwing it up into a tight ball and launching it across the room.

"Watch it," said a disgruntled Sirius, who had been hit by the ball when he walked into the dorm. Peter and Remus filed in behind him.

"Sorry Padfoot," said James and Sirius nodded, "How are you doing Moony?"

"Not too bad,"

"He's definitely looked worse," laughed Sirius

"You can say that again,"

The four boys fell silent again. They had been out the night before last, dealing with Remus' "furry little problem", and although they usually felt closer than ever after such a night, the group felt somewhat disconnected. James had been rather distant since the Valentine's party and, despite the fact he was usually his most chipper in the weeks leading up to his birthday, had been casting a melancholy mood over the friends. They all knew the route of this new found pessimism- Lily. With her and Dirk now going strong, James had reverted back to the moody state he'd occupied for most of the previous year.

"What's up Prongs?" asked Sirius, although he knew exactly what the answer would be.

"Nothing," replied James, who had picked up _Quidditch Through the Ages_ once more.

"Don't give us that," said Peter, "You've been moping around since Valentine's."

"I haven't been _moping_ ," said James indignantly. The other Marauders scoffed.

"Well fine then, I'm mad because Molly Lynch said that I deserved to get turned down by Lily all those times because I haven't actually made any effort to get to know her," James blurted, "And do you know what? She's right."

The rest of the Marauders exchanged glances that they hoped James wouldn't see. Unfortunately, they weren't as subtle as they thought.

"What?" asked James, irritably. Once again, his friends exchanged knowing looks. It was Remus who eventually spoke up.

"Well Prongs, she does sort of have a point," he said, tenderly.

"What?" snapped James.

"Well it's like with Tigs, mate," said Sirius quickly, as he could see the heat rising to James' face, "If you'd have asked her to go out with you, without getting to know her first, then she would have said no. You got to know her before you started dating,"

James mulled this over for a moment. Perhaps they had a point. He didn't actually know anything about Lily Evans, nor she about him. He could hardly expect her to like him when she knew nothing more about him than he knew of trigonometry. He felt like an idiot. He felt as though this was such an obvious mistake, that the whole school had been laughing at his naivety, that _Lily_ had been laughing at his ineptitude.

"Well now I feel shit," he muttered.

"That's not the point James. It's still within your power to do something about it."

* * *

"Hi Evans," said James, collapsing into a squashy armchair next to Lily, who was reading a book.

"Hi," returned Lily absent-mindedly, barely looking up from her book.

"What are you reading?" asked James enthusiastically.

"Dracula," Lily still didn't look up, her eyes moving across the page.

"Is that your favourite book?" James persevered (although he had already done his research and knew the answer from Tigs), and Lily folded over the page, shut the book and laid it on her lap.

"No, 1984 is my favourite," she paused, "Well either that or Great Expectations,"

"Oh I know Great Expectations,"

"You know Dickens? That's impossible,"

"I've read A Christmas Carol as well," said James, sitting up, "Did you know there's a conspiracy that Dickens was actually a wizard?"

"What?! No way!"

"It's true; the Fat Friar swears that he was the inspiration for the ghost of Christmas present,"

"That's incredible! You know, I never knew you liked reading,"

"There's a lot of stuff we don't know about each other Evans,"

The pair smiled at each other for a minute, both wondering what the other was thinking. All of a sudden, he was reminded of why he had approached the young witch in the first place. He pulled out a small, badly wrapped gift and handed it to Lily.

"What's this?" she asked, confused.

"It's your birthday present," he took a breath, "I know it's late, but it's come to my attention recently that I've never made any effort to get to know you. I didn't even know when your birthday was, Molly made sure to remind me of that. But anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry, and Happy Belated Birthday Evans." With that, he got up and left, taking the stairs up to his dormitory. Lily watched him go, before tearing off the paper. A rather old, but well taken care of, copy of 1984 was inside. Lily opened it up, and written in black ink across the title page was the signature of George Orwell.

* * *

"Do you want a party or not?" snapped a rather impatient Sirius. The Marauders were sat in the courtyard with Tigs and Dorcas.

"I don't know if I can be arsed," sighed James.

"You've got to have _something_ ," said Dorcas.

"Yeah come on Prongs, even I'm having _something_ ," yawned Remus, who was still feeling a little unwell after his recent transformation.

"Wait, when are you having your gathering?" asked James.

"Next Saturday, the 19th,"

"That's almost exactly in-between both of our birthdays,"

"Yeah so?"

"Why don't we combine the two? Have a joint thing with just our closest mates?"

"Yeah that's fine with me, doesn't seem very _you,_ but if that's what you want,"

"There it's settled then. Happy padfoot?"

* * *

Tigs sat in the girl's dormitory, smoking out of the window. It was raining outside and she had a quidditch practice in half an hour. Her quidditch uniform was laid out on her bed, and she was trying to muster up the energy to get up and put them on. Tigs stubbed out the cigarette on the stone wall and was just about to get up when Amelia entered the dorm. She was carrying a huge stack of books, her face red and sweat on her brow.

"Alright Mil," Tigs greeted her and she nodded in return, letting the book fall on to her bed. Tigs picked up her quidditch robes reluctantly.

"Tigs can I talk to you about something?" Amelia said timidly.

"Of course," replied Tigs, glad for another way to procrastinate.

"Okay," started Amelia, plonking down on to the bed, "So me and Samantha kissed at the Valentine's party,"

"What?! That's amazing Mil!"

"Yeah that's what I thought, only she says she can't remember anything from that night. She just keeps saying how she wished she spent more time with her date. I don't know what to do," Amelia sighed loudly. Tigs too plonked down on the bed, putting her arm around Amelia's shoulders.

"You can't rush these things. I know you've been very patient, but just give her a bit longer. But don't tie yourself down, snog someone else if you want. You don't have to punish yourself just because she you're not dating her yet."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you've not exactly been yourself recently. You've either been in the library or with her. You don't seem to have fun anymore. My advice is that you need to put yourself first for a bit, she'll come around,"

* * *

"Mil and Dorcas are already there," said Lily across the dorm, while gathering up the bags of sweets she had bought from Honeydukes. She and Tigs were dressed in pyjamas, though not their old ones with holes and stains in, they were in brand new pyjamas bottoms both wearing t-shirts over the top. They were dressed significantly more fashionably than they would normally to sleep in.

"You ready?" asked Tigs, holding a pack of cigarettes in one hand and a bottle of firewhiskey in the other.

"I think so," said Lily, checking that she had everything, "Yep, let's go,"

The two girls walked down through the castle together. Even though it was dark, their feet easily retraced the steps to Room of Requirement, which they had visited a lot recently. They were lucky that at during their school years, there were very few patrols through the Hogwarts corridors at night. The teachers paid little attention to the castle at night, Dumbledore didn't see any threat to the castle, and no teacher was particularly malicious so they wouldn't search for wrong doers at night time. That just left Filch, who was malicious but also fairly easy to evade. Therefore, the girls made their way to the Room of Requirement without an issue.

They soon found themselves on the 7th floor corridor, the stone wall in front of them changed into a wide wooden door, and Tigs pulled it open. The scene that greeted their eyes was quite different to the airy function room they had used last time. A much smaller room lay in front of them, it was filled with hammocks, squashy armchairs, thick woollen blankets, and under the mantle place, was a roaring fire. The Marauders, Dorcas, Amelia, Maud and Molly were sat in there, all lounging around in their pyjamas. A huge pile of sweets, cakes, and pasties sat on a small wooden table, which was sagging under the weight. Bottles of butterbeer and firewhiskey sat on another table, a few of them open and half drunken.

"Happy birthday!" said Lily, addressing both James and Remus at the same time.

"Finally," exclaimed Sirius, as they had obviously been waiting for the girls to arrive. They exchanged pleasantries and gave James and Remus their presents. Tigs sat down in between Sirius and Remus, quietly slipping a more special gift into Remus' pocket, in way of repayment for the gift he had bought her at Christmas. Lily sat with Dorcas and Amelia, smiling at James periodically as to 'subtly' demonstrate her new found warmth towards him.

Sirius drained his bottle of butterbeer and placed the empty bottle between the friends.

"Spin the bottle," he said, grinning.

* * *

After a few rounds of play, in which Amelia had kissed Lily, Remus had kissed Molly and Sirius had kissed Peter, the group found themselves much drunker and made the unanimous decision to upgrade the kissing from simple pecks to making out. It was Maud's turn, and she tentatively laid her hand on the bottle and spun it. It landed on Dorcas and, too many cheers from the Marauders, the pair kissed. Next was Peter, who kissed Amelia, and then Remus, who kissed James. After the laughter following Remus and James' awkward kiss, it was Tigs' turn to spin the bottle. She did so and it spun almost full circle, stopping on Sirius.

"Come on then Tigs'," he laughed. Tigs had kissed him before, on New Year's Eve, so she didn't know why she felt so apprehensive as he moved in closer. He really was very handsome. He kissed her, he was a very good kisser, maybe even better than James, she thought. Both of them almost forget the presence of their friends in the room, along with Sirius' girlfriend. Luckily, they remembered and quickly pulled apart. Sirius quickly shifted the attention from them, by calling on James to spin the bottle. The bottle landed on the person he had been both longing for and dreading: Lily Evans.

* * *

After a long while, silence fell between the friends. It was around 6 in the morning, and everyone was asleep. Well, almost everyone. Tigs was still wide awake, and Lily walked across the room to her bed as quietly as she could. She clambered in next to her friend.

"Hey Tigsy," she whispered.

"Hey Lil, can't sleep either?"

"Uh-huh," she continued, "James is a really good kisser isn't he?"

"Yeah he is," replied Tigs. "Do you like him?" she asked after a while, but Lily pretended to be asleep.

* * *

Hello everyone!

Thanks for reading! Took me a little longer for this update but the next update is well on its way! Thanks to morganna12 for reviewing, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) Please review,

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	16. Treachery and Transformations

Treachery and Transformations

March melted into April, the months speeding past as they often do at that time of year. The year became one of two halves, one half spending their time studying in the library, and the other half doing whatever they could to avoid it. That morning, Remus and Tigs were part of the latter. They sat by the lake in the first of the spring sun, Tigs smoking and reading from a very battered book. Remus was attempting to read a Potions textbook but he found his mind wandering after every sentence, and ended up reading the same bits over and over. After a few minutes, he gave up on this endeavour, and put the book down. He looked out across the lake, the sunlight bounced off its surface, twinkling across the water. It was the day before his transformation and he often found that he appreciated things more, stopped taking the world around him for granted. He studied the girl sat next to him. She was truly very pretty, but there was a sadness behind her eyes. Remus felt that she carried a weight on her shoulders too, only she didn't have Sirius, James and Peter to share it with. He knew better than to press her for information on it. She closed the book she was reading, and Remus noticed a small inscription on its cover that read 'To Augusta'.

"Who is Augusta?" asked Remus, his voice breaking the long silence between them. Tigs paused before replying.

"My mother,"

"You've never spoken about her," said Remus, lightly pushing her for information.

"I don't see her very often," Tigs took a breath before continuing, "She's Augusta Carrow,"

"The auror?" gasped Remus.

"Yeah. She might be a good auror but she's a shit mum,"

"I would imagine that the two don't always go hand in hand." Quiet fell again between the two friends, and Remus slowly moved his hand on to Tigs'. She did her best not to snatch her hand away.

"You can always talk to me about stuff Tigs," he said softly. Tigs looked at the boy next to her. He really was one of her best friends. At that moment, Remus felt compelled to share the secret of his condition with Tigs, he was as close to her as he was with any of the Marauders. However, he quickly changed his mind. There was an element of trust between him and the other Marauders that he worried might be spoiled if he shared the information with Tigs. Though he was sure she wouldn't tell anyone else, he wasn't quite ready to break away from the close-knit circle had built up with the Marauders of the past few years.

* * *

"I'm just saying that I'm not sure I'm ready for a relationship yet," Sirius' voice cut through the cold corridor, taking Maud completely by surprise.

"What?" she stuttered.

"I think we should break up," he repeated, his tone harsh.

"You've got to be kidding me," snapped Maud, her surprise replaced by anger.

"I'm sorry," said Sirius insincerely. Maud felt blood rushing to her face as rage pumped through her body. Words failed her, she felt betrayed again. This was the last time Sirius would break up with her, the _last_ time. She turned to leave when Sirius spoke again.

"We can still have sex though, right?"

Maud felt something inside her snap, she marched back down back the corridor and slapped Sirius across the face, hard.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, holding his cheek, which had gone a violent shade of scarlet.

"I wouldn't have sex with you if you were the last wizard on earth," she spat, every word dripping with disdain. She turned on her heel and stormed off down the corridor. Sirius stood there, dumbfounded and embarrassed. He was there for a few seconds before the sound of sniggering came from behind him. He turned to see Snape standing behind him in the corridor, a nasty grin on his face.

"What are you doing here?" he barked.

"Nothing," sneered Snape, still grinning. It became clear to Sirius that Snape had seen the whole thing. He felt a refreshed venom for Snape, his hatred for Snape having been restrained for a while to help James' pursuit of Lily. He wanted to hit Snape as hard as his fist would let him, to curse him so that he would be in the hospital wing for weeks. He was searching his mind angrily for the perfect way to hurt Snape, to make him pay, when an idea floated into his head. A cunning little idea, one that wouldn't even cause him to get into trouble. His expression changed from one of anger, to a smirk. Snape looked at him, confused at this change.

"You know _Snivellus_ , you've always been a creep, always been following me and my friends around. Well why don't you follow us tomorrow night? There's a passageway next to the Whomping Willow, and we'll be there. Come along if you've got the bollocks."

"Fat chance Black, that thing will smash me to pieces," snarled Snape.

"Not if you press a knot at the tree's base," said Sirius smugly, Snape looked slightly taken aback, "That's right _Snivellus_ , you might be a square, but you don't know everything about this school."

Sirius wheeled around and walked away from Snape, a huge smirk slapped across his face. It was the best plan he'd ever had.

* * *

Remus made his way through the passage to the Shrieking Shack, it was cold and water dripped from the ceiling, falling in fat droplets by his feet. He was glad of the end of the winter, it got icy cold both in the tunnel and in the Shrieking Shack during the winter months. Although his transformations were never easy, having the weather on his side did help, to an extent. He felt a sickness in the pit of his stomach, a nervousness that only came just before a transformation. He reached the shack pretty quickly, and collapsed on to the dusty bed. He took off his blazer, running his fingers over the scars etched across his arms. He hated them. They were such an obvious physical reminder of the condition he despised. At least he now had his friends to stop him from tearing himself up during the full moon. For some reason, his mind wandered to thoughts of the future, and the paths his friends would take. He had long ago come to terms with the fact that his friends wouldn't be there forever to accompany him at the full moon. They would grow up, get married and have children, something which he had vowed he would never do. It wasn't that he didn't want to, he just felt as though he could never inflict himself, and his condition, upon another person. There was one particular person he had liked for a long time, but it was for this very reason that he would never tell her. He took a deep breath, and told himself the lie he repeated before every transformation.

"It's only one night,"

* * *

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

The Marauders all gathered in the tunnel as usual, transforming into their animagus form before attempting to find Remus. Everything seemed normal. Except it wasn't, and James could tell. Sirius seemed a little more chipper than usual, especially considering his recent breakup. There was something in his attitude that seemed distinctly uncharacteristic. James felt a suspicion growing over him, but put it to one side. The friends made their way down the tunnel, all ready for a night as animagi. James heard a scuffling coming from the other end of the tunnel, but he chose to ignore it. There it came again, but this time louder. James tried to ignore it, but it was getting louder and closer. He turned back and had only took a few steps before he saw Snape at the end of the passage. His heart dropped, luckily Snape was yet to see him and he quickly transformed. He ran straight at Snape, his heart racing.

"Get out," he screamed, his tone frantic. Snape tried to keep his cool, but the fear in James' eyes startled him.

"What's going on Potter?" he snapped, trying to hide his surprise.

"You have to go, now!" James shouted, he was panicked and kept looking over his shoulder down the passage way. A commotion could be heard from down the passage.

"What is that?" Snape was scared now. James grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him out of the passage, forcing him to the ground outside on the grass before his friends emerged. Snape's face filled with fear as he observed the werewolf stood in front of them. James transformed quickly and attempted to distract the werewolf from Snape, who watched helplessly as the stag and the wolf began to fight. Finally the pair disappeared into the forest, and the rat who accompanied them ran over to Snape. It changed before him into Peter Pettigrew.

"You can't tell anyone," he shouted at a still frightened Snape. "If you do, Dumbledore will expel you and snap your wand,"

"Y-y-y-you're b-b-b-bluffing," stuttered Snape.

"Do you really want to test that?" snapped Peter.

It all happened in matter of seconds.

* * *

Remus lay asleep in bed in the Shrieking Shack, his skin peppered with dark purple bruises. James, Sirius and Peter sat on the end of the bed, bags under their eyes and James also covered in bruises. Remus rolled over, and then sat up. He looked as though he had aged a few years over the night.

"What happened last night?" he said, rubbing his eyes and trying to recall the night before. Then, a crushing realisation came over him, as he remembered the presence of another student at his transformation.

"Oh god I hurt someone didn't I?" he said, panicked and observing his friends, "James I hurt you,"

"No Moony its fine, it wasn't your fault. Snape turned up,"

"What? How did he find us?"

"I don't know,"

Sirius cleared his throat, a sheepish expression on his face.

"That's my fault. I dared him to come as a joke. I didn't think he would actually show up," he said, avoiding his friends' eyes. The other Marauders sat in stunned silence, each one digesting this confession.

"W-w-what?" asked James, his voice shaking with anger. He clenched his fists into a ball and breathed heavily.

"I'm sorry. I know it was dumb-"

"Dumb?! Dumb?!" James roared, "It was a complete fucking betrayal Sirius! What if he'd have gotten hurt? You would be a murderer!"

"You would have made me a fucking murderer!" interjected Remus, "As if I didn't hate myself enough, _you_ tried to make me hurt someone else! What if I'd have passed on my condition? Did you want to get me expelled?! Did you want to make my life ten times more shit than it already is?!"

"I'm sorry okay? I wasn't thinking!" Sirius desperately tried to defend himself.

"That's not an excuse, you're a selfish twat Sirius. And this time you've gone too far." Said Peter, surprisingly calmly.

"I always knew you were a bit of dick Sirius but I never thought you'd do this." James' tone too had changed, he now sounded incredibly _disappointed_.

"Look I'm sorry guys, if I could take it back I would-"

"Well you can't," snapped Remus, his face flushed with anger.

"Fuck off Sirius," said James quietly. "Leave."

"No come on I'm sorry, please?" he looked between his friends frantically, "Peter?"

"No Sirius, you need to go," muttered Peter, looking at the floorboards.

"Remus?" Sirius pleaded.

"Just get the fuck away from me." spat Remus.

* * *

Severus Snape sat in his dormitory, blood still pacing through his veins at an alarming rate. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to stop his heart's incessant pounding. He went between three different states of emotion, changing between them very fast. In one sense, he was uncontrollably angry. Normally the Marauder's ploys against him only involved some sort of teasing, but this time Sirius had intended for him to get hurt or even killed. Another part of him was still in a state of frightened shock. He had barely escaped from a serious injury, one that could have left him dead or cursed with lycanthropy for the rest of his life. The other part of him was the most alien. He felt a degree of sympathy for Remus, something he had never felt before for any of the Marauders. A new concept now occupied his mind, though at that time it was pushed to the very back, he was now indebted to James. He wouldn't tell anyone of Remus' condition, partly for the fear that he would be expelled, but also partly because he now owed his life to James Potter, and that wasn't something he wanted to be common knowledge.

* * *

Hello everyone!

Thanks for reading this far! I hope you enjoyed this update! Please please please review and let me know what you think might happen next :)

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP xx


	17. Parties and Prefects

Parties and Prefects

The rift between the Marauders was noticed by the whole school, and every student had their own theory as to its cause. As time passed, the theories got wilder and wilder but it was safe to say that none of them came close to the truth. Many were centred around the coinciding break up of Sirius and Maud. Sirius became somewhat of an outcast, often seen wandering the halls and through the grounds alone. Remus too, seemed to be alone more than usual, though not if James and Peter could help it. The Gryffindor girls speculated on the argument too. Though Tigs had tried, she couldn't get any information out of the Marauders or from Maud. Everyone seemed to believe that Sirius was the victim, and Tigs, Dorcas and Lily had pleaded with the other Marauders to forgive him. Despite their efforts, the problems between the Gryffindor boys showed no sign of being resolved. Soon the school's interest in the argument dissipated, but there were very few people who didn't miss the antics of James and Sirius.

* * *

"Well that was tedious," barked Lily, throwing her bag down and flumping down into a squashy armchair.

"Don't be too harsh, he is only a first year," said an exasperated Remus, throwing himself on to the sofa next to Tigs.

"What's up?" asked Amelia, looking up from her Care of Magical Creatures essay. She had been working on the essay all night, taking any chance she could to procrastinate.

"We've just spent two and half hours trying to convince a first year that they have been sorted into the right house," said Lily, her face flushed and her voice exasperated. "He was convinced that he should have been put in Hufflepuff,"

"I must have said 'the sorting hat knows what it's doing' at least 100 times," said Remus, to a chuckle from the group.

"I wouldn't have minded but he wasn't even a Hatstall! The sorting hat chose Gryffindor in under a minute!" Lily ran her fingers through her long hair.

"You were a Hatstall weren't you Tigs?" said Amelia, and the group's attention shifted towards Tigs.

"Yeah, I was,"

"Between what other house?"

"Slytherin," As Tigs said this, the whole group seemed to recoil with cries of 'What?'.

"I didn't want to be in Slytherin at all, so it chose Gryffindor," said Tigs, and Remus gave her a knowing look. He knew why she wouldn't want to be in Slytherin, her mother was a proud Slytherin along with most of the Carrow family.

"I was the first Gryffindor in my family for six generations," she stated, "Kind of like Sirius," The friends fell deadly silent. Some of them glanced over to the other side of the room, where Sirius sat with Dorcas and Benjy. Remus didn't look over, but instead stared at the fire.

"Can't you make up with him already? Surely he can't have done anything that bad," said Lily, boldly. James, Remus and Peter exchanged glances, but ignored her.

"Tigs are you going to the Slug Club party tomorrow?" asked Remus, his face expressionless. Lily sighed at this blatant changing of the subject.

"Yeah sure," replied Tigs, who hadn't really thought about it. The rest of the group returned to their individual conversations and Amelia to her essay.

* * *

Tigs pulled her polo shirt over her head and tucked it into her skirt. Lily ran a clear gloss over her lips, then began to brush her hair.

"You ready Lil?" said Tigs, tying her own hair in a messy bun.

"Yep," said Lily, standing up. The two girls left the dormitory together, heading down into the common room where Remus was sat with James. A few first years were playing wizard chess and Sirius was sat in a squashy arm chair reading a book. On sight of the girls, Remus stood up and said goodbye to James.

"Ready for Slug Club?" he grinned, knowing how tedious Slug Club meals were.

"As ready as I'll ever be," sighed Tigs, rolling her eyes. Remus and Lily laughed, Tigs hated the Slug Club the most but she needed to use Slughorn's connections to help her become an Auror. The three friends left the Common Room, heading first to the Hufflepuff Common Room to meet Dirk. After they had been gone for a few minutes, the first year's chess game ended and they left the Gryffindor Common Room. Sirius and James found themselves alone together for the first time in weeks.

* * *

Remus, Tigs, Lily and Dirk arrived at Slughorn's office at precisely 8 o'clock. Slughorn had decided against holding a Christmas party that year due to the lack of students remaining at Hogwarts for the holidays, and had instead rescheduled the party for the spring. Remus knocked loudly on the thick wooden door, which was opened after a few minutes by an already ruddy faced Slughorn.

"Well if it isn't my favourite potions whizz kids!" he bellowed, a glass of brandy in his hand. "Come in my dear fellows, come in!"

The friends obliged the teacher's demands and walked into the office, which was draped with curtains of all different colours. The room was filled with the most talented and famous pupils from across the school, though it mainly consisted of N.E.W.T. students. The few younger students were those with connections to famous witches and wizards, the older ones mainly those with outstanding talents in magic. Tigs and Remus exchanged knowing looks. This night was not going to be a particularly enjoyable one.

* * *

"James?" asked Sirius, timidly. James paused for a minute to think about whether or not to reply.

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry," said Sirius, his voice shaking and his eyes wet. He felt a lump in his throat. He was so ashamed, so embarrassed, so disappointed. He had never been in a serious fight with his friends before, and he didn't know how to go about it. He couldn't stand it.

"It's not me you should be apologising to," said James simply. "You destroyed our trust with Remus."

"I didn't mean to,"

"That's not the point. You know he already struggles so much Sirius, but, as usual, you only though about yourself." James got up and headed up the stairs to the dorm.

"I wish I could take it back," said Sirius miserably.

"Yeah me too," replied James, before leaving the Common Room and Sirius behind him.

* * *

"I'm bored," said Tigs, nursing a bottle of butterbeer.

"Me too," returned Remus, emptying his bottle. "Shall we go?"

"I thought you'd never ask," laughed Tigs, "Do you think we should ask Lily?"

"No I think she's okay," said Remus, and the pair observed Lily and Dirk, who were laughing and eating hors d'oeuvres.

"Yeah let's go," concluded Tigs. The pair just about managed sneak past Slughorn and out into the corridor. They walked in silence for a while before Remus piped up.

"Why do you want to become an auror?" he asked, rather abruptly. Tigs was slightly taken aback.

"It's not to be like my mother if that's what you're implying." She said sharply.

"I wasn't implying anything,"

"Well good because you wouldn't have been right. I want to be an auror for all the opposite reasons she became one. She's an auror so that she has an excuse to bully people. She's a ministry approved tyrant, nothing more. I want to be an auror to protect society from people like her." Tigs said firmly and confidently.

"I like that," replied Remus matter-of-factly. Quiet fell between them again for a moment.

"Why won't you talk to Sirius?" Tigs asked, knowing that she may be over stepping the line. Remus thought for a moment. The question riled him, but he could understand the reason for her asking it.

"He did something… unforgivable." he said at long last.

"But he's your best friend, surely he deserves a second chance," Tigs persevered.

"It's actually none of _your_ business," snapped Remus, and Tigs fell silent. They continued to walk for a few minutes of awkward silence.

"Sorry," said Remus, his tone softened.

"I shouldn't have pushed you," she muttered, and the pair smiled at each other in recognition of mutual forgiveness.

* * *

Although the rift between the Marauders had caused a lack in hilarious antics and had cast a dullness over the school, it allowed for some friendships to blossom where they might not have done under other circumstances. Dorcas took Sirius' new found isolation as the perfect opportunity to initiate a relationship with him, and went about her days with an unexplained gleefulness. However, despite her best efforts, Sirius was blind to Dorcas' advances and often preferred to spend his time with Tigs. Therefore, other relationships began to grow across the year as the sixth year students of Gryffindor tower found their social circles disrupted.

* * *

Emmeline, Lily, Amelia and Tigs were all sat on their respective beds in the girls' dormitory. Emmeline was flicking through Tigs' copy of MME, the Magical Music Express which detailed all the up and coming musicians of the day, Lily was reading 1984 again, Amelia was finishing an essay and Tigs was sat on the windowsill smoking. The David Bowie record Tigs' had received for Christmas was playing the music floating between them and filling their ears. Lily closed her book and set it down on her bedside table.

"Can I ask you lot something?" she asked, and her friends all looked up from their individual activities.

"Of course Lil," said Emmeline.

"It's Dirk. He nice and sweet, and god knows he's good looking but-"

"There's always a but" laughed Amelia and the girls all agreed.

"What's up with him Lil? Has he got a third nipple or something?" teased Tigs.

"No nothing like that, he's just possibly _the_ most boring person I've ever met," said Lily, "Is it wrong to think that? He's always been so nice to me."

"There's no point if there's no spark Lil," announced Emmeline with murmurs of agreement from the other girls.

"Boredom is the most toxic thing in a relationship," added Tigs.

"It's true Lil, you shouldn't stay with him just because he's _nice_. If that were the case you may as well date the whole of Hufflepuff," said Amelia, to laughter from her friends. After a few minutes, they all went back to what they were doing. Lily lay back on her bed, the realisation coming over her that she would now have to break up with poor, sweet, innocent Dirk Cresswell.

* * *

The sixth year Gryffindor girls, apart from Dorcas, strolled into breakfast just before the post arrived on the morning of the 17th April. Dorcas was already sat with Sirius, buttering his toast for him. The other Marauders were sat a few places down from them. The girls walked over and sat down with James, Remus and Peter. They had each began to serve themselves breakfast when over a hundred owls swooped in over their heads. A small brown owl landed in front of Tigs with her copy of the Daily Prophet, she placed five knuts in the pouch attached to its leg and unravelled the paper. After less than ten seconds, the paper fell from her hands and into her cornflakes. She got up, stepped over the bench and walked towards the doors. The friends looked between each other, perplexed. Remus quickly snatched up the paper, and as soon as he read the headline, got up and followed her with no explanation. Sirius was just getting up to follow Tigs when Remus stormed past him, and he decided to sit back down. Remus chased after Tigs, who had started to sprint as soon as she was out of the Great Hall. She ran out of the castle door and into the grounds. It took a few minutes before Remus caught up to her. He grabbed her hand to stop her from going any further and she whirled around. On sight of him, she stopped walking and collapsed to the ground. He sat down next to her and put his arms around her while she sobbed into his jumper.

* * *

"Okay, what just happened?" asked James. The friends looked between each other, each one as confused as the next.

"I have no idea," said Amelia.

"Tigs looked really upset," muttered Lily, concerned.

"I think it was something in the paper," said Emmeline. She picked up the paper and read the headline aloud.

"Celebrated auror Augusta Carrow murdered in raid."

"Why would Tigs care about that?"

* * *

It was a long time before Tigs spoke to Remus, long after she had stopped crying. She sat with her face buried in his chest, and he sat with her. They missed their first few lessons, but neither cared. When Tigs finally did speak, it wasn't what Remus had been expecting.

"I don't know how to feel," she half-whispered.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and she pulled away from him.

"I mean I never saw her. She hasn't lived with us for eight years. My dad divorced her because she used to hit me, and when I saw her after the protest she hit me again. It was like I was a kid again, I had no way to defend myself and I don't think I could if I'd have tried. She's been haunting my entire life and now she's dead. And I have no idea what to feel,"

Remus tried his best to hide the emotions this confession evoked. He tried to come up with something smart to say. He tried to be the perfect friend. But "T-Tigs I never knew..." was all he could manage to stutter.

"That's because I never told anyone. Apart from Dumbledore and McGonagall, but that wasn't really my choice…" she observed the look on Remus' face and rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and the two sat in silence once more.

"What would I do without you Remus Lupin?" she said at long last, and the two friends smiled at each other. They truly were very good friends.

* * *

Hello everyone,

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ImagineHP


	18. Breakages and Break-ups

Breakages and Break-ups

"I'm really sorry Dirk," said Lily. The Hufflepuff boy looked teary, his lip trembled and his eyes were watery. Lily shifted her weight between her feet and avoided his eye.

"It's not you, it's me," she said, mentally kicking herself at this blatant use of cliché. She hated this. Her stomach felt as though it had been tied in knots. She fiddled with her hair awkwardly, keeping her eyes locked on her shoes.

"It's okay Lily. I understand," said Dirk, after what felt like an age. It took all his willpower to stay stood in front of the girl who had just broken his heart. He had a lump in his throat, and it took a great degree of effort to speak without sounding like a blubbering mess.

"I guess I'll see you around then Lil'," he managed, trying to keep his voice level.

"See you around Dirk," she replied, and as soon as the words left her lips he turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction. Lily felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, but a crippling guilt had replaced it. No matter how much she reasoned with herself, she couldn't help but feel awful about breaking up with Dirk. She walked back to Gryffindor Tower dejectedly, her head hung as low as her spirits.

* * *

Tigs was perched on the edge of Lily's bed, studying the back of a record sleeve. Remus was across from, lay on her bed smoking a cigarette. The sound of the Beatles drifted from the record player placed on the cabinet between them.

"I can't believe you have a misprint of the White Album," said Tigs, looking at the record in awe, "Do you know how much these are worth?"

"Its crazy isn't it? My mum got it for me from a charity shop and I daren't tell her its real value because she'd make me sell it,"

"You could never sell this," said Tigs, shaking her head. She was star struck, anyone would think John Lennon had just walked into the dormitory and offered to do a live set. Remus chuckled to himself.

"I know I know, I'm a music nerd," she laughed.

"To be honest, I'm just glad I've found someone who doesn't judge me for listening to ten year old music,"

"This isn't ten years old, its timeless," said Tigs, her last word being cut off by the sound of the needle coming to the end of the record. She took it off, picked up the record like it was a baby and gently turned it over before laying the needle back on its surface. Remus chuckled again and was met by a joking response from Tigs of "Oh shut up".

 _Martha my dear though I spend my days in conversation Please Remember me Martha my love_

The music played between them for a moment, before Remus spoke again.

"How are you doing anyway?" he asked gently. Tigs hadn't told anyone else about her mother's death but had been called to the headmaster's office, where Professor Dumbledore had offered her leave from school.

"I'm okay," she replied, "I didn't get invited to the funeral,"

"That's disgusting," muttered Remus, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't have gone anyway," she said.

"That's not the point though," he concluded.

"I know." She breathed.

"Fuck 'em" announced Remus, rather unexpectedly. "They aren't good enough for you anyway."

* * *

James marched out of the boys dormitory, his completed Potions essay rolled up neatly on the bedside cabinet. He felt strangely chipper, and was just about to stroll down to the kitchens when a redhead girl sat glumly in a squashy armchair distracted him. Lily Evans sat, her head in her hands, staring into the fireplace. James stomach rumbled violently, but he chose, against his better judgement, to ignore it.

"You okay Evans?" he asked, collapsing into the chair next to her.

"No," replied Lily, miserably.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, tentatively.

"Not really," she said, but before even a second had passed, she continued, "I've just broken up with Dirk,"

"I'm sorry to hear that," he lied, his heart leaping.

"You shouldn't be. I'm not, and that's why I feel bad." She continued to stare into the fireplace. James pondered this for a moment, confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean that I'm glad we've broken up, but I feel _so_ guilty that I'm glad," she sighed. James reached out his hand awkwardly and patted her shoulder.

"Don't feel guilty. You can't live your life by other people. You've got to do what feels right," he said, and she turned to face him. They shared a moment of eye contact before Lily looked away.

"Thanks James," she forced a smile, "I know you're right but I still feel awful." James considered his next move carefully, he wanted so desperately to cheer her up but he wasn't sure how. His stomach let out a loud groan, and the idea popped into his head.

"Would a butterbeer help you feel better?" he asked, grinning.

"It couldn't hurt."

* * *

The sixth year Gryffindors, excluding Tigs, James and Sirius, all gathered in the Common Room. They were all up remarkably early for the weekend, and there was only one thing that compelled them all to get out of bed, dress and head out into the grounds before 10 am on a Saturday. Quidditch. It was the last match of the year, and it was between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor as to who would win the cup. Tigs and James had gotten up four hours earlier than their peers, eaten with the rest of the team in the kitchens and were cramming in one last practice before the match.

With half an hour before the match, James called the team into the changing rooms to discuss tactics. He had spent hours analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the Hufflepuff team, and how they could be exploited. He had packed in more practices than any other Quidditch captain before him, even organising private sessions with each of his players to work on their individual technique. The Gryffindor team were like a well-oiled machine, but Hufflepuff had one of the most formidable teams in history. With Dirk Cresswell as the team's star beater, James had his own reasons for wanting to beat them that went beyond winning the cup.

From where Lily sat with the other Gryffindors, the two Quidditch teams looked like tiny dots of yellow and red. The atmosphere was full of anticipation and excitement, perfect for the match. Madame Hooch threw the Quaffle into the air and, with a huge cheer from the on-lookers, both teams soared into the air.

"Gryffindor in possession- Prewett has a clear run to the goal post-" the voice of Nicola Kowalski rang across the pitch "Prewett heading over, looks like the first goal of the match will go to Gryffindor- OH NO- dirty move there from Terrence Diggory, almost knocked Prewett from his broom- Hufflepuff now in possession, oooh fantastic shot there from Gryffindor beater Tigs- Diggory drops the Quaffle- Gryffindor back in possession and Prewett shoots and SCORES- first 10 points to Gryffindor."

The Gryffindor stand erupted with cheers, Fabian Prewett doing a loop the loop in celebration. Tigs hovered slightly above the others, keeping control of one of the bludgers. It was going to be a rough game.

* * *

"Gryffindor are still in the lead after that penalty, but with Prewett down I doubt they'll be able to maintain it"

Madame Hooch oversaw the movement of a stretcher, Fabian Prewett lay upon it, off the Quidditch pitch. They had been playing for a little over 2 hours, with a total of six penalties awarded in that time. Hufflepuff were playing dirty, and both teams felt the effect of it. Gryffindor had lost Fabian Prewett and Benjy Fenwick, a chaser and a beater, and the Hufflepuff team had lost their beater, Peter Naracott, in the scuffle with Benjy.

"Hufflepuff in possession- Potter hasn't let much past him this game yet- Nott attempts to score, Gryffindor saves it, not much surprise there- wait what's this, Hufflepuff beater Dirk Cresswell has sent a bludger in Potter's direction- Gryffindor seeker Tigs is flying over there as fast as possible-" Nicola let out a small scream. The Hufflepuff chaser, Miles Nott, had just thrown Tigs into the Slytherin stand. She crashed into it badly but the crowds' attention was immediately averted to the bludger which had just hit James square in the chest. He was thrown violently from his broom and hurtled through the air, hitting the ground with a sickening crunch. The crowd screamed and Nicola feel silent, Madame Hooch began to run on to the pitch when Nicola began to speak again.

"Aidan Lynch has just caught the snitch, Gryffindor wins!"

Aidan stood triumphantly in the middle of the pitch, the snitch clutched between his fingers. No one, including the Hufflepuff seeker, had seen him dive through the air after the snitch. They were all watching James, who now lay on the grass in a crumpled heap.

* * *

The hospital wing was almost full that night. Madame Montessori dashing between them wildly, her apprentice Polly following her. Tigs sat on her bed patiently, blood pouring from her nose but her spirits determinedly high. Madame Montessori concentrated her attention on James, who she brought round with smelling salts. He woke with a start, his face contorted with pain.

"M-m-my l-l-leg," he stuttered. His leg was bent unnaturally, a piece of bone poking out through the flesh.

"That's an awful break, but we'll soon have it mended James," said Madame Montessori kindly, "Polly please go and attend to Miss Tighe"

Polly broke away from Madame Montessori and headed over to Tigs, while Madame Montessori went about mending James' leg.

"Let's have a look then Miss Tighe," said Polly, putting her hand on Tigs' chin and examining her nose.

"Definitely broken," she concluded. She was just about to fix it when they were interrupted by an intrusion.

"GET IN THERE YOU STUPID BOYS," roared Professor McGonagall, who was dragging Sirius and Dirk in through the hospital doors. Both of them were bloodied and bruised, though Dirk significantly more so.

"YOU WILL RECEIVE TREATMENT FROM MADAME MONTESSORI AND THEN YOU WILL REPORT TO DETENTION" she continued, "FIGHTING OVER QUIDDITCH, HONESTLY I EXPECT BETTER FROM BOTH OF YOU, ESPECIALLY THE HEAD BOY!"

She forced Dirk into one bed, Sirius into the opposite, and then stormed out. Everyone went back about their business, trying to be subtle as they observed the two boys.

"Episkey," said Polly and, with a flick of her wand, Tigs felt her nose go very hot, then very cold, and finally realign itself. It clicked back into place, and Polly cleaned the blood from her face.

"You are free to leave now Miss Tighe," she smiled. Tigs thanked her, bade goodbye to James, who looked as though he was in serious pain, and headed over to Sirius' bed. James let out a loud yelp as they heard a loud crunch. His leg had just been put back into place, and he lay back on the bed clammy but relieved.

"What happened to you?" asked Tigs, Sirius looked up at her from his bed. His eye was black and his lip split.

"I got into a fight with Dirk," he said plainly.

"What started that?" She asked.

"Me punching him in the face probably had something to do with it," replied Sirius, sourly. James' ears pricked up, and he strained to listen to their conversation.

"He aimed that bludger at James on purpose. He might hate my guts, but James is my best mate."

Sirius glanced over to James' bed, and James quickly averted his gaze. Madame Montessori made her way over to Sirius.

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave Miss Tighe. We are quite busy today." She said, and Tigs bade goodbye to Sirius before leaving.

* * *

As soon as she stepped through the portrait hole, Tigs was greeted with uproarious applause. The entirety of Gryffindor house had gathered in the Common Room to celebrate winning the cup. Aidan Lynch was surrounded by people, the cup in hand and a huge grin slapped across his face. Everyone ran over to Tigs on her entrance, congratulating her and slapping her on the back. The sixth years ran over to her happily, hugging her.

"Well done Tigs!" said Emmeline.

"Are you okay? That fall looked so bad-"

"Miles was bang out of order-"

"When you hit the Slytherin stand-"

"I'm alright, just a broken nose. Fixed in less than a second," Tigs said, shouting over her friends.

"Thank god," said Lily, pushing a butterbeer into her hand.

"Sure you're okay?" asked Remus, quietly.

"I'm sure," smiled Tigs.

* * *

James stood up slowly, trying not to put too much weight on his newly mended leg, and began to walk out of the hospital wing. His leg felt strange, as though it didn't belong to him, but the pain had subsided.

"You can go too Sirius," said Madame Montessori. Sirius clambered out of his bed, and reached the end of the hospital wing at the same time as James. They subconsciously began to walk up to the Gryffindor Common Room together, neither speaking to the other.

"You didn't have to punch Dirk," said James, after a few minutes of silence.

"I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't," replied Sirius. The boys walked for a few more minutes, silence falling between them once more.

"I'm sorry James." Said Sirius softly.

"I know," replied James. They climbed up the staircase quietly, the only sound filling the air was their muffled footsteps on the stone.

"I've missed you," said James, unexpectedly. Sirius did his best not to start.

"I-I-I've missed you too," he stuttered, taken aback.

"Friends?" asked James timidly.

"Friends," confirmed Sirius. A huge grin broke out on both their faces, and Sirius pulled James into a hearty hug.

"It's good to have you back, mate," he said, happily.

* * *

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Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHp


	19. Summer and Sunshine

Summer and Sunshine

James and Sirius entered the Common Room, a party in full swing. The Gryffindors cheered for James, everyone dashing over to check if he had recovered from his fall.

"Are you okay?"

"Dirk did that on purpose!"

"I thought you were dead!"

"Worst foul I've ever-"

"Your leg! It was-"

"Snapped in two!"

James brushed them off, pushing his way through the crowd with Sirius tailing behind him. He found the sixth years pretty quickly, they were all taking shots of a drink Lily called 'tequila'. Peter stood in the middle of them, he licked salt from the back of his hand, drank the shot, then bite into a lime that Amelia had shoved into his mouth.

"That's horrible," he squealed, spitting out the lime. The others erupted into laughter, before calling Remus up to take the next shot. Tigs had just poured salt on to his hand when James interrupted them.

"Remus, Peter, we need to talk upstairs for a minute," he said firmly. Remus and Peter looked at James, perplexed, before spotting Sirius behind him.

"Okay," said Remus, sourly. The other sixth years exchanged glances. It had been almost two months since Remus had spoken to Sirius. The Marauders had never before been fighting for so long. James turned on his heel and went up the stairs, the others following after him. They entered the dark dormitory together, and Peter flicked the end of his wand to light it up.

"I think we've been fighting for long enough," said James, timidly, careful to observe Remus' reaction. "We can't hold a grudge forever,"

"I never meant to hurt anyone," said Sirius. "It was all a stupid mistake, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness-"

"You're right. You don't." snapped Remus.

"Moony please," pleaded James.

"Don't 'Moony' me. You've clearly made up your mind, but you've forgotten that it's _me_ who he betrayed James. Not you. He used me, he used my condition, and I'm not going to forget that just because he punched Dirk Cresswell." With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the dorm.

* * *

Remus woke early the next morning, the rest of his dormitory all fast asleep. He dressed silently, leaving the dark dorm and heading downstairs. He cast the counter to the glisseo spell on the girls' staircase, and traced the familiar path to the sixth year dormitory. He put his hand into his pocket, found a piece of parchment, and scribbled a small message upon it. Taking out his wand, he bewitched the paper, which folded itself up into the shape of a small bird and flew under the door.

Tigs lay asleep in her bed, the dormitory quiet. A small paper bird flew over to her and pecked her face gently. She stirred slightly and rolled over. The bird persisted, and Tigs gave in. she sat up and the bird flew down and landed on her lap, where it unfolded, revealing Remus' note.

 _I'm outside the dorm. I need someone to talk to._

 _Remus_

She read it through twice, before conceding and getting up out of the bed. With a flick of her wand, her clothes shot out of the dresser and folded themselves on her bed. She pulled them on, and then tied her hair up, yawning. She walked past her sleeping roommates and opened the door.

"Morning," she mouthed to a rather miserable looking Remus, and the pair headed down the stairs together.

* * *

"I know you don't want to tell me, but what did he do?" asked Tigs, after Remus had told her the events of the night before. The pair were sat in their favourite spot, on a grassy knoll by the lake, the sunlight streaming over them.

"I can't tell you," he sighed, "I'm sorry, I just cant. And before you accuse me of protecting him, I'm not. I'm protecting myself."

"Well then it's up to you to decide whether what he did is worth all this,"

"Worth what?"

"Worth not talking to your best friend, worth holding a grudge against him, worth putting yourself through hell, because honestly, I'm not sure it is."

* * *

The next few weeks passed in a blur of exam halls and text books. The time was no longer quantified into days, but rather into exams. Everyone worked to the rules of their exam timetable, spending any time that they weren't eating, sleeping or in exams, revising in the library. Everyone seemed a little dishevelled, no one having time to fix their hair or neaten their uniform. Huge bags lay under everyone's eyes, and most people didn't speak that much to their friends. Soon, sooner than they thought, the exams were coming to an end, and the relief that began to wash over the school was much needed and absolute. The sixth years all woke early for their last exam, which was Potions, and headed down with feeling of giddy delight that, within a few hours, it would all be over.

* * *

"Today you will all be producing a hiccoughing solution. You will receive a partial recipe, but you will have to use your own knowledge and logic to create the perfect potion." Said Professor Slughorn to his N.E.W.T. class. They all set about working, with varying degrees of success, all of them trying to work as quickly as possible so that it could be over. After two hours the sixth years poured out into the corridor, all of them discussing the exam.

"Hiccoughing solution! The one thing I didn't revise!"

"That's the best exam I've done so far this year,"

"I think mine was too green,"

"I boiled my potion for way too long"

Remus pushed past the chattering students and scanned the corridor for one person in particular. His eyes found him, and he rushed past everyone else, grabbing Sirius by the hand and dragging him into an empty classroom. Sirius looked at him, taken aback.

"I can't carry on like this," said Remus, running his hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry Remus, I shouldn't have told Snape. It was a stupid mistake, I never meant to hurt you-"

"I don't care what your intentions were, you've frightened me. You almost exposed me to the whole school, I almost killed someone!"

"I know! I used you and I don't even deserve to know you after what I did-"

"You made a mistake Sirius, and I needed time to accept that. Of course I know you wouldn't hurt me, but when you have a condition like mine, you think the whole world is out to get you….. I'm rambling, but what I'm trying to say that I want us to be friends again."

"I do too,"

* * *

The sixth year Gryffindors lay stretched out upon the grass, sunlight glinting off the lake, the giant squid basking in its shallows. Remus and Sirius stepped out of the cool castle corridor and into the fresh air, a wave of heat washing over them.

"Its bloody roasting," sighed Remus, pulling his jumper off. Sirius took his off too, in way of agreement.

"Where are they?" asked Sirius, squinting across the grounds in search of his friends.

"There, by the lake," pointed Remus, and the two boys walked across the grass to join their friends.

All of the sixth years, but particularly James and Peter, noted the entrance of Sirius and Remus, who were together for the first time in months, huge grins slapped across their faces. The friends greeted each other, and the two canine Marauders collapsed on to the grass next to the others.

"We were just discussing the Potions exam, how did you think it went Remus?" asked Lily, who looked tired but rather relieved.

"It was okay I guess. I barely revised hiccoughing solutions but I think it turned out alright. What about you lot?" replied Remus, who was met with worried remarks from all his friends regarding the exam. Although everyone had their own doubts about their exam success, there was a resounding relief that it was all over and that summer, the real summer, had begun.

"We should do stuff this summer. I mean actually do stuff. We always say we're going to meet up and we never do, but this year we should try to do as much as possible." Said Lily, determinedly.

"Yeah Lily's right," said James, "We can apparate now so it's not going to be hard to see each other."

"We could go on holiday, to my house in St Ives." He continued, "We could even go abroad!" There were excited sounds of agreement from the whole group.

"Oh I almost forgot!" announced Tigs suddenly, "I was waiting until exams were over to tell you! My dad's mate works at the Palace on Shaftesbury Avenue, he's got us all free tickets for Rocky Horror next week!" The group exploded with excitement, and it took a while before they calmed down. It was James who was the first to manage a sentence not pertaining to the Rocky Horror Show.

"What do you say then? One last Marauders' party to end the year?" he asked, mainly addressing Remus, Peter and Sirius.

"Yeah why not?" grinned Remus, and the other sixth years punched the air in celebration.

* * *

In way of celebrating their repaired friendship and the end of their penultimate year at Hogwarts, the Marauders decided to throw a party reminiscent of the first years of Hogwarts. No room of requirement, no meticulous planning, no dress code. This was old school: the Gryffindor Common Room, a few good records and a crate of firewhisky, nothing more, nothing less. A select few from other houses were given the password for the night, Molly and Maud amongst them (although Maud had refused the offer due to Sirius' presence). It became a one of the best parties the Marauders had ever thrown, and while students from all ages and houses filed into the Common Room that night, the sixth year group of friends remained utterly inseparable. Their friendship had never been so strong, and they laughed together well into the night, long after the fire had burned down and the party goers had gone. Lily sat with James all night and, after a good few firewhiskys, he rested his arm on her shoulder and she didn't push it off.

* * *

Tigs woke up, dripping with cold sweat and shaking all over. She ran to the toilet, throwing up violently in the sink. She looked in the mirror, gripping the edges of the sink tightly for support. But it wasn't her own face looking back in the mirror, it was that of her mother.

"Don't lie to me you little shit," she barked. Tigs wretched into the sink, trying to be sick with nothing coming up. When she looked up again, her my own tormented face looked backed. She was much paler than usual, clammy, her hair wet from sweat. she'd been having a nightmare, a flashback even, to her most recent encounter with her mother. She lifted her hand to her nose, it wasn't broken. It was just a dream. She headed back into the dormitory, but the shadowy beds seemed to have a sinister air to them. Instead of clambering back into her bunk, she pulled the dressing gown off her bed and put it on.

The Common Room was quiet and dark, the shadows of the party filling the room. Empty bottles of firewhisky littered the tables and floor. A beam of sunlight was streaming in through the window, the sun just pulling up over the horizon. Tigs walked through the portrait hole and through the corridors. She followed her feet down the familiar path to the Astronomy tower. The air was filled with nothing but the sound of her footsteps. She reached the top of the tower quickly, but was surprised when she found someone else sitting in there.

"Remus?" her voiced cracked through the warm air. Remus Lupin whirled around, surprised by the appearance of his friend.

"Hi Tigs," he said, "Are you alright?"

"Bad dream," she said nonchalantly , "Can I join you?"

"Of course." She plonked down next to Remus, the sunlight now pouring in around them.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Remus, tentatively.

"Not really," said Tigs, firmly but not aggressively. "It's always at the end of term that I realise how beautiful it is here." She gestured out of the window at the green, sun drenched grounds.

"Me too," smiled Remus, "I can't believe we've only got one year left. I'm going to miss everyone so much."

"We'll keep in touch though, and we've got all summer together."

"Let's make it the best summer ever,"

* * *

Hi everyone!

Thanks so so much to AGirlLostInTime for reviewing! This chapter is dedicated to you xx

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	20. Revelry and Rocky

Revelry and Rocky

Very few muggles loitered on the plain cobbled street that morning. A sweltering heat drenched the country, forcing people back into the shade of their houses or out to the seaside for cooler air. Mr Greeves, a particularly car-obsessed resident of Carthorpe Road, was bearing the heat to wash his Pontiac Firebird. Apart from him, the street remained deserted. No one would have noticed any abnormal happenings, or any magical occurrences of any sort. Remus John Lupin, however, still elected to apparate into a neighbouring alley way, rather than risk exposure. He followed the alley on to the residential street, his eyes resting on the road name. He walked past Mr Greeves, who didn't even notice him, and strolled up to the front door of number 11. It was a small two up two down terraced house, made from an industrial looking red brick. Remus extended his arm and knocked twice with the large brass knocker. A few moments passed before the door was swung open, a girl a few inches shorter than him was stood on the other side. She was dressed in a black and white maid's costume, her hair enormous and a bottle of firewhisky in her hand.

"Remus!" she exclaimed, a little giddily (half the bottle of firewhisky was already gone).

"Hi Tigs." He grinned back.

"Come on in, everyone else is already here." Remus followed Tigs as she led the way down a narrow hallway and into a pokey living room, which seemed even smaller due to the amount of people that filled it. Every single person was one of Remus' closest friends, though they looked different to how he had ever seen them before.

"Dorcas, Emmeline, Maud and Peter were all busy," explained Tigs.

"Well obviously we couldn't go to see Rocky Horror without dressing up. I should probably explain who everyone is," said Tigs, and Remus nodded in agreement.

"Lily and James are dressed as Brad and Janet," she pointed to where Lily and James sat, Lily wearing a prissy 1950s style day dress, her hair in perfect set curls, and James (whom Remus almost didn't recognise) who was dressed very smartly, his hair combed and stuck down with gel.

"Molly is Columbia and I am Magenta," Molly sat on the floor next to the plain clothed Amelia, who later explained that she was apparating to France that evening with her parents. Molly was wearing a rather revealing outfit, made up of striped hot pants and a gold bustier. Her makeup was the strangest of the group, and she looked a little wacky.

"And then Sirius is Frank -n-Furter, I just need to do his makeup." Despite the weirdness of all the other costumes before him, it was Sirius' that caught Remus' eye. Sirius was dressed in suspenders, high heels and a basque. Remus burst into a fit of laughter on sight of him, particularly when he stood up and began to model the costume across the room.

"Where's my costume?" asked Remus at long last, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

"In that bag," said Sirius, a cheeky smirk spread across his face. Remus stood up, walked across the living room and picked up the small plastic bag. His hand found a piece of fabric and he pulled it out. It was a very small pair of gold shorts. The room, particularly James and Sirius, erupted into laughter as Remus held up the tight gold underwear, perplexed.

"Where's the rest of it?" he asked, only causing more laughter from his friends.

"That's it. You're Rocky," managed Molly through fits of giggles. Realisation flooded through Remus' face as he recalled the Rocky Horror Picture Show, something Tigs had forced them to watch the previous year, and the character of Rocky came back into his memory.

"No way." He said, shaking his head. "No chance I'm wearing this."

"You have to Moony," said Sirius, "It's not that bad. Look at me," The group giggled some more as they observed Sirius' outfit again, but Remus remained unamused.

"Well you don't have to put it on yet," said Tigs, "We've got a couple of hours for you to change your mind."

Remus sat down on the sofa next to Sirius, who pushed a rather full glass of firewhisky into his hand. He downed it, the liquid burning his throat. Tigs kneeled in between them, carefully applying makeup to Sirius' face. His outfit looked better and better with each stroke of her brush, yet so did its hilarity to the group. It wasn't long before Sirius resembled an identical double to the infamous transvestite he was dressed as. A few hours and numerous firewhiskys later and the group of friends found themselves re-enacting many of the songs from the musical, with Sirius giving the most hilarious rendition of 'Sweet Transvestite', despite the fact he knew less than half of the words.

"Okay everyone, we've got ten minutes before we need to leave. Last costume touch ups and last chance to use the loo," announced Tigs, raising her voice above the din, "Remus it's now or never." Remus looked at the costume before him and, to the pleas of his friends, agreed that he would at least try it on. Tigs led him up the staircase and into a small room. She flicked the light switch by the door and the room was suddenly flooded with light. Remus observed the room, and decided that it couldn't be any more _Tigs_. The walls were adorned with posters, of Quidditch teams, musicians and films. A huge collection of vinyls lay stacked in the corner, a jumble of spell books and a broom in the other corner.

"You can change in here," she said, and turned to leave, "I'm just going to use the loo." Remus shut the door behind her gently and undressed. He pulled on the costume and observed his reflection in the mirror. He didn't look bad, and it wasn't the scant nature of the costume that particularly bothered him, it was that all of his scars were visible when he wore it. he heard a floorboard creek outside the door and opened it slightly.

"Tigs," he whispered, she was just about to head downstairs, "Can you come here a minute?"

"Sure," she replied, and he opened the door a little more to let her in.

"What's up?" she asked, observing the boy in front of her.

"I-I-I don't think I can wear this," he stuttered. She stood a little closer to him, and ran her finger down one of the scars that stretched over his shoulder.

"Well I think you look hot," she said, shrugging. Remus began to laugh a little and she joined in.

"I suppose I should wear it then," he chuckled.

* * *

The small group of sixth years apparated into an alley way road in London, a small distance away from Shaftesbury Avenue. Their only company was a sleeping drunken man, who didn't even notice their entrance three foot away from him. They wandered without shame through London, garnering many funny looks from people who crossed their path. Sirius strutted through the streets like he owned them, and the others couldn't help but feed off his confidence. Soon, as they got closer to the theatre, they were joined by many other dressed similarly to them. The atmosphere was akin to that of the excitement and anticipation felt before a game of Quidditch, and the crowds only grew as they waited outside. Remus received many compliments from his friends, the girls all observing that he was more muscular than they would've expected, and from some of the other theatre goers. A rather pretty girl dressed as Janet handed him a scrap of paper with her telephone number on. By the time the theatre doors opened, every single one of the young sorcerers were overcome with giddy excitement.

* * *

"That was amazing!" exclaimed Molly.

"So much better live!" said Tigs.

"It was better than I ever could have imagined!" squealed Lily. The friends were amongst the others pouring out of the theatre, all full of energy. The moved as part of a current in the sea of people, eventually managing to break off into their own tributary. They gathered in a little circle off the side of the road, with James checking that everyone was there before speaking.

"We should go out," he said, his messy hair breaking out of the neat style it had been forced into, "We're already in London, we may as well make the most of it."

"We can all stay at mine afterwards," added Tigs, "My dad lives with a friend near work so we will have the house to ourselves."

"Yeah sure," said Lily, "Sounds fun,"

"I'm up for it," announced Sirius, and the friends all elected to stay out in London for the night. they followed some of the crowd from the theatre into a small pub, which was filled to bursting point with people, many of whom were dressed similarly to them, those who weren't looking on in bemusement. Lily found a small table in the corner, just about big enough for them all to sit around, and they all gathered around it. James and Remus agreed to get up to fetch the drinks, and returned to the table a few moments later with twelve shots.

"It's called sam-buuu-car," said James, who was not accustomed to muggle beverages.

"Sambuca," corrected Tigs, while her and Lily giggled.

"Well whatever it is," said Sirius, "Bottoms up." They each took a shot, downed it, some of them gagging a little, and then took another and did the same.

"Ugh," groaned Lily, "That's grim."

"Another round of the same then?" laughed James.

"No way," said Lily, "I'll be sick."

James grinned at her before getting up and heading back over to the bar, and returning a few moments later with another round of shots.

"This one is called vodka," he said happily, placing them down on the table.

"Oh no," said Remus, "Vodka always makes me throw up,"

"No excuses," said Molly firmly, handing out the drinks.

It wasn't until many more drinks and a few hours later that Lily suggested that they visit the leaky cauldron. The atmosphere in the pub had turned very muggle, and the range of weird and wonderful people that had filled it after the end of Rocky Horror were gone. The group of Hogwarts students looked distinctly out of place amongst the elderly regulars who now littered the pub. Therefore, there was a unanimous agreement to relocate, though a few of them voiced concerns about seeing people they didn't want to once they reached the Leaky Cauldron. They apparated in small groups, all very conscious of being cautious due to their inebriation. Soon they approached the dingy little pub, they swung open its little door and pushed their way through the huge crowd of witches and wizards who filled the bar.

"There's a table over here!" shouted Molly, pointing at a family who were just leaving. Her friends dashed over and sat down before anyone else could nab the table, much to the dismay of many of the others.

"I'll get the drinks in," said Sirius, grinning at the attention his costume was getting now that they were far from the theatre.

"I'll help you," said Tigs, and she got up from her seat and followed him to the bar.

"Six firewhiskys please my good man," Sirius placed a stack of money upon the bar, and scanned the room happily.

"Oh shit," he said, his face changing, "That's Alecto Carrow, she used to hang out with my cousin Bella all the time. She's horrible." Tigs followed Sirius' eyes across the room where they rested on a mean faced girl with dirty red hair.

"Fuck," gasped Tigs, "We need to hide,"

"What?"

"Hide! Now!"

They dashed off quickly, down a corridor leading off to the cellar. Tom, the bartender, had just returned with their whisky and was looking around the bar, very confused. Alecto began to walk towards them so Sirius leant into Tigs, covering her from view. Anyone who walked past would assume that it was only Sirius who was stood there. Alecto didn't even give them a glance and then continued past the bar and out of the front door.

"She's gone," breathed Sirius, "What was that about?"

"She's my cousin." Said Tigs, catching her breath, "She despises me because my dad's a muggle,"

"Your mum's a Carrow?" he asked. Tigs pondered the use of tense, and wondered whether to correct him to 'was a Carrow', but elected against it.

"Yeah," she replied.

"I never knew that," then realisation flooding his face, "Shit! The whisky!"

* * *

Lily, Molly, James, Remus and Tigs stumbled through the door of the Tigs' house at 5:30 that morning. Molly ran in first, throwing up into the toilet. James ricocheted off the walls as he attempted to find his way into the living room. After ten minutes, which an extraordinary long time considering the miniscule nature of the house, they all managed to make it in the pokey living room. Lily clumsily extended the sofa to make a strange sort of bed and they all collapsed on to it, falling asleep the moment their heads touched the pillow.

* * *

Hi everyone!

I hope you are all having good holidays! Thanks again to AGirlLostInTime for such a lovely review! To answer your question I can tell you that Tigs will eventually open up and that Sirius will certainly help her along the way :) I won't say anymore as it will all be revealed soon,

Thanks for reading my imagination,

ImagineHP


	21. Sorcery and St Ives

Sorcery and St Ives

Lily, Tigs and Molly clung tightly to each other as they disapparated. After a few seconds of slight discomfort, they landed, all intact, on wide road in London. Enormous white terraced houses lined the street on either side, they were very grand and were owned by the very rich. The road curved round a corner, the houses curling round too. Someone who didn't know London very well might assume that they had apparated into Downing Street.

"This is a bit fancy," said Molly, looking around.

"My mum always said that the Potters were loaded." Said Tigs, lighting a cigarette.

"A bet the front room is bigger than my whole house," sighed Lily, "And James said they own a few different houses,"

"Can't you just bang him for the money Lil?" asked Tigs laughing.

"Oh shut up," giggled Lily. The three girls walked up the road together, Lily counting the numbers on the houses as they went.

"There it is," she said, pointing to a large house on the corner. "Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane,"

"Come off it Lily," said Molly, erupting into laughter.

"It does look the Mary Poppins house," laughed Tigs. "Imagine the hell James would give a nanny." The girls laughed at this mental image, Lily still giggling as she knocked on the front door. James opened it a few minutes later, his hair all over the place, sunglasses on his nose and a huge smile across his face.

"Girls!" he beamed, "Hurry up we are about to leave,"

"Spit spot," said Molly under her breath and Lily snorted loudly. James didn't hear them and continued to lead them through the wide hallway, past an ornate staircase and through into a very large sitting room.

"Mum and Dad are in the big sitting room so we'll have to floo out of this one," he explained, and Tigs and Lily exchanged looks. Tigs' living room could easily have fit inside James' "small" room three times over. Sirius, Remus, Dorcas, Peter and Amelia were already there, all of them holding cases or rucksacks.

"Ready Sirius?" asked James, and Sirius nodded, stepping into the large fireplace, a pile of floo powder in his hand.

"Remember to send my case in after me," he added, before dropping the powder into the flames and saying "Solarium Manor!" He disappeared in a roar of green flames, and James used another handful of floo powder to send his case after. The small group filed into the fireplace one by one, all speaking the name of James' holiday house clearly before disappearing into the flames.

* * *

Solarium Manor was a large house situated on a cliff overlooking the beach in St Ives. Like the Potters' other residences, it was large in stature but lacking in grandeur. The interior mostly relied on the house's structure, rather than any fanciful furnishings. Spare a few portraits of members of the Potter family, the walls remained largely bare. This meant that the grandiose houses avoided looking tacky, and contained an air of class that Euphemia, James' mother, was very proud of. Out of all their residences, the Potter's spent the least amount of time at Solarium Manor. It had been many years since the wizarding population in St Ives had depleted; therefore the Potters found themselves spending a week or two there are year, at best. It had hence been an easy decision for Euphemia when James had asked that he and his friends stay at the house for a few weeks. Their long absence from the property also meant that their house elf, Caster, only worked a few weeks a year, and, so it was rumoured, had held a few parties there during his master's absence.

It was just coming up to lunchtime when all of the Hogwarts students had successfully arrived in Solarium Manor with all their cases. Caster had prepared a banquet for them on their arrival, and any trace of a party, whether he had hosted one recently or not, was long gone. The house was undeniably spotless, and many of the sixth years felt shabby in comparison. They left their cases in the sitting room while they enjoyed their lunch. Once their bellies were full, they ventured on a tour around the house, James attributing bedrooms to each of them. Sunlight streamed through the windows, bouncing off the clean floorboards. James looked out at the view from his own bedroom window, his eyes met by the crystal blue water of the sea below him.

"Who fancies a trip down to the beach?" he shouted through the house. Cries of agreement echoed back. James opened up his case, pulled his swimming trunks out and put them on.

"Last person in the sea is a flobberworm!" yelled Sirius and the friends all began to run through the house as quickly as they could.

* * *

"Peter is the flobberworm!" laughed Dorcas, as Peter jumped into the sea a fraction of a second after Amelia.

"Get him!" shouted Sirius, and the Marauders all leapt on Peter, splashing him and dunking his head under the clear blue water.

"Gerroff!" laughed Peter, pushing his friends away. They were all dripping wet, water pouring from their hair and down their faces. The girls, in comparison, were still rather dry, none of them going particularly deep into the water.

"Is it just me," began Remus, smirking, "Or do the girls look too dry?"

"Yes I think they do Moony," said Sirius. The four boys looked between each other before each diving towards the girls, splashing them with seawater.

"You bastards!" laughed Lily, shaking water out of her hair. the group all erupted into laughter, and continued to play in the cool water for a few hours before, one by one, they began to return to the warm sand on the beach. The afternoon slipped away in a mixture of swimming and sunbathing and soon the evening was falling upon them.

"I suppose we should head back up to the house," said Amelia, looking at her watch.

"Yeah it's starting to get late," agreed Peter.

"Why don't we stay out here?" asked Molly, "We could camp out!"

"I like the sound of that," said Tigs, "We could build a fire, get some drinks and some food-"

"Sleep under the stars!" added Lily, as excitement began to grow within the group. They all agreed to the idea and headed back up to the house to fetch clothes, food, and firewhisky.

"We don't have much stuff to eat," said James, who had tried and failed to find the house elf Caster, who may have been able to give them so food.

"Caster's gone walkabout," he explained, "He's been prone to wandering off over since we stopped coming here."

"We could walk to the shop and get something to cook on the fire," suggested Sirius, "I don't mind popping down to the village."

"Yeah that'd be nice," said Remus, "A couple of sausages and burgers and we'd be set for the night."

"I'll head down there now then," concluded Sirius, "Tigs can come with me to help with the muggle money,"

"Sure," replied Tigs, and the two set off towards the village. The others strolled happily down to the beach and set about building a large bonfire. Sirius and Tigs walked in the opposite direction, following a winding coastal path to the adjacent beach. They reached it quickly, the sun low in the sky and glistening of the clear blue sea. They soon found their way into the quaint muggle village which, at that time of year, was always a buzz with tourism. Tigs and Sirius found that they did not look out of place amongst the other visitors to St Ives, as they might have done if they had chosen to visit at a less popular time of year. They soon found a small butchers shop that was just about to close up. Tigs ordered and paid for, using muggle money, the food, while Sirius looked on, perplexed, from the side lines. After popping into the sweet shop to pick up some marshmallows, they headed back out of the village and up the coastal path. The sun was setting now, the last orange glow disappearing beyond the horizon. The pair chatted about pieces of idle gossip as they walked, and it wasn't until they were on their way back that Sirius changed the subject.

"Why didn't you ever tell me that you're a Carrow?" he asked, rather abruptly.

"I'm not a Carrow," said Tigs, taken aback, "I'm a Tighe."

"Yeah I know technically you are a Tighe," he said, "But your mum's a Carrow. You're like me, we could've helped each other."

"But I'm not like you," she said softly, "I never grew up in that pureblood mania because my dad was a muggle, and no amount of denial from my mother could change that fact. I was disowned from the moment I was born, I never had to put up with the shit that you did."

Sirius pondered this for a moment. "Your mum's Augusta, right?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I've met her. Hundreds of times. She's easily as bad as my mum. I get that you weren't ever part of the-" he put on a posh, old fashioned voice- " ' _The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black'_ , but I refuse to believe that you had it easy."

"I didn't have it easy, it was just _different."_ She said after a few minutes.

"How so?" pushed Sirius.

"My mum, she was always so _angry_. She never forgave herself for falling in love with a muggle, for betraying her blood status. She was a blood traitor, and I was the living evidence of that. So she used to take everything out on me, she _hated_ me, and that was all before I even had chance to do anything that might upset her."

"I always thought she was a nasty old bitch," joked Sirius, and Tigs snorted, "You can talk to me about anything though Tigs," he added kindly.

"Thanks, I'll hold you to that."

* * *

Tigs and Sirius re-joined the group, a huge fire ablaze on the white sand. A small pile of sticks had been separated from the firewood for cooking things upon, and no sooner were Tigs and Sirius back with the food than the cooking began. They ate far too much each, as there was something irresistible about cooking food on a real fire.

"I feel so sick," groaned Molly, rolling backwards on to the sand and clutching her tummy, her sixth marshmallow burning to a crisp in the fire.

"Little nightcap to settle your stomach?" asked Amelia, dangling the bottle of firewhisky in front of her friend's eyes.

"Okay," Molly breathed, sitting up right once more and uncorking the bottle. She took a rather generous swig and passed the bottle on. They were all a little dehydrated as they had forgotten to bring any drinks for with their meal, so they chugged back the whisky like it were pumpkin juice. Each one falling drunker than the last.

* * *

"WALKING ON THE BEACHES LOOKING AT THE PEACHES!" Shouted James and Sirius in unison, attempted a very slurred rendition of the Strangler's song. James kicked up a hug pile of sand, which rained down over Sirius. Sirius then threw himself on top of James and the two fought playfully for a few minutes, their friends egging them on. They had just returned to the fire, which was now smouldering gently, when the first of the group succumbed to sleep. Molly, who had easily drunk the most out of all of them, collapsed onto the sand in a drunken slumber. Amelia prised the firewhisky bottle out of her hand and drained it, before throwing the empty bottle into the fire triumphantly.

"Looks like Molly's down!" laughed Lily, this was met with chants of 'lightweight' from the others, which were only stopped when Sirius, the leader of said chant, passed out leaning against Peter. The group began to drop like flies, each of them falling asleep in the soft white sand, until only Tigs and Remus were left. They were both ludicrously drunk, and their garbled conversation would have made absolutely no sense to passers-by. They wittered on for a quarter of an hour like this, neither of them entirely sure what the other was talking about. After a little while, they began to grow sleepy, and their energy had diminished along with the members of their group. Tigs rested her head on Remus' shoulder, while he strained to drink the last drop of firewhisky from a bottle. Tigs muttered something incoherent about the stars and Remus, just as incoherently, agreed.

"Y-y-y-you're my best-hiccup- friend," slurred Tigs, pointing at Remus.

"N-n-no –hiccup- you are my –hiccup- best friend!" he replied, rather loudly. Tigs giggled and leant into towards Remus. He supported her awkwardly with his arm. Not knowing what came over him, nor what compelled him to do it, whether it be his drunken stupor or his real confused emotions, Remus did something he hadn't expected to do that night. He leant in and kissed Tigs. She was in his embrace for a moment or two before she too, fell asleep, but that didn't matter. He had kissed her.

* * *

Hello everyone,

It took me slightly longer to update this time, but the next chapter is already half written so it should be up in a jiffy! I'd like to thank AGirlLostInTime for another lovely review, thanks so much! You've definitely inspired me to keep writing :)

Love and kisses,

ImagineHP


	22. Reunions and Relations

Reunions and Relations

Tigs woke early the next morning. The sea air whistled in her ears, the smell stinging her nose. The fire that had been so furious the night before was now reduced to a few base sparks. Tigs stood up, shivering. Her head was aching, her vision a little blurry. She picked up the now almost empty bottle of firewhisky she had been drinking the night before and took a long swig. It burnt her throat but gave her the energy she needed to get up. She poured the last few drops over the fire, which sprang back to life. Lily rolled over, disturbed by the crackles of the fire. Tigs took a cigarette out of its box and placed it between her long fingers, observing her sleeping friends as she did so. Lily and James lay close together, his nose lightly touching the back of her neck. Dorcas lay uncomfortably close to Sirius who, even in his drunken stupor, still had no interest in her. Tigs took a long drag on her cigarette and disapparated. She landed, 800 miles away, on another beach on the Isle of Skye, barely pausing between puffs on her cigarette.

It was colder in Skye, and she relished the cooler and more comfortable temperature. The air had a different flavour up here, and Tigs allowed it fill her lungs and clear her head. She loved Skye. The beach was deserted and Tigs kicked the white sand as she walked. It wasn't far to her Grandparent's house and she reached it before the end of her cigarette. She stood for a minute, the little grey cottage in front of her, and thought about the night before. She wouldn't address the kiss with Remus, she decided. She didn't deserve a guy like him. She was toxic. So, she elected that she would pretend to have been too drunk, and pray that he had drunk enough to have no recollection. She rubbed her eyes, it had been one of the few nights in the last month that hadn't been cursed by a crippling nightmare. Perhaps firewhisky was the answer. She finished her cigarette and stamped it into the sand.

Sea shells marked the edge of the gravel path that led to the front door of the grey stone cottage. Tigs looked across the garden, which was bursting with wildflowers and ornamental grasses. She could see a fat ginger tabby cat asleep one of the flower beds. The cat, Merlin, was old and gentle, having spent many a summer being terrorised by Tigs when she was a toddler. However, this time, Tigs left the cat asleep and knocked three times on the cottage door. It was opened a few seconds later by a large, both tall and wide, elderly man with a bushy white beard and small oval glasses. His head was bald and liver spotted, and a huge smile spread across his kind face when he saw Tigs. It was clearly her grandfather who Tigs got her famous smile from.

"Edith!" he bellowed in a thick Scottish accent, enveloping her into a huge hug "Muriel! Edith's here!" After a few seconds, her grandmother appeared, her white hair set into perfect pin curls and an apron over her floral dress. She too hugged Tigs, and the pair took a few minutes to exclaim their surprise at Tigs' visit.

"Edith my dear, you look at bit peaky" said her grandmother, in a much softer, lilting accent.

"She's been on the whiskey Muriel, I know that look far too well" chuckled her grandad and Tigs laughed.

"Well I take after my grandad in that respect," she laughed, and she felt her own voice change. She had spent a lot of time with her grandparents when she was little and had picked up some of their colloquialisms. She rarely used them anymore, but they always came back whenever she spoke to them. Her grandma bustled her into the house and began making her a cup of tea and some bacon, while her grandad read the paper. Tigs listened her grandmother chatter absent-mindedly about the various goings on of people who lived nearby, nibbling at the edge of her bacon sandwich.

"…so I told Doris that if she wanted to take over the Tuesday shift at Oxfam then she would have to check with Deidre, but I think she's running the scouts now so I don't know what she'll do…" Tigs caught her grandad's eye, who rolled his eyes at his wife's gossiping and Tigs smiled.

"Oh Edith, do you remember that boy you used to be friendly with? Archie was it?"

"Angus?" replied Tigs, her ears suddenly pricking up.

"That's the one," said her grandma, "Well he's getting married," Tigs dropped her bacon sandwich back on to her plate in shock. Her grandmother continued, unperturbed, with her recount and Tigs listened for a few moments longer before interrupting to ask if Angus was still in town. When her grandmother confirmed that he was, she made her excuses and set off to the farm where lived, which was about four doors down for her grandparents' house.

* * *

"Angus Stewart," said Tigs, her voice cool and crisp in the quiet morning. The boy in front of her, who was pouring water into a trough for some pigs, turned on his heel to face her.

"Tigs?!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around the girl in front of him. "Jesus its been so long! How are you?"

"I'm good, just broke up from school," she said, "And you?"

"Yeah things are good up here, nothing much has changed of course." He laughed.

"Gran says you're getting married," Tigs blurted.

"Yeah," he said awkwardly, "Yeah I guess I am."

"Who's the lucky girl?"

"Nelly McDonald," he half-whispered. Tigs' jaw dropped.

"Nelly McDonald?!" she repeated incredulously.

"Yeah," he spat, "Problem?"

"Problem? Problem? Of course I've got a fucking problem! She used to bully us! You used to write to me telling me all the shit she'd done to you!"

"Yeah well she's changed!" he barked, defensively.

"Yeah I'm sure she has! As soon as she realised you were her best prospect I'm sure she changed her attitude! " she paused, and he avoided her eye, "And when were you planning on telling me?"

"I didn't tell you precisely because I knew this is how you'd react!"

"I have every right to react like this! Nelly, really? Did our relationship mean nothing to you?"

"No, it didn't really mean anything to me!" he yelled, and Tigs looked taken aback.

"We were kids Tigs," he continued, his voice still raised, "We'd have a few weeks together and then you'd disappear off to that school! It's not like we were ever exclusive!"

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing. You were nothing more than a good shag during the summer holidays. I've grown out of that, I'm settling down. Maybe you should try the same."

"Oh yeah I'll go and find some bitch that used to bully me and marry her then." Spat Tigs

"No, you can carry on sleeping with everything that moves, that's what you're good at it isn't it? Just fuck off and go back to being the massive slag you always were. That's the only reason Nelly used to bully me, because she knew I was friends with the biggest slut in the fucking country."

"Fuck you," snapped Tigs and she turned on her heel and left. She hid her face as she walked away, fat tears pouring down her cheeks.

* * *

Lily woke up with a pounding in her ears that would not desist. Someone's arm was draped around her, and whoever it was that she was leaning on was still fast asleep. She wriggled gently out of the embrace to find that it was James, _James_ who she had been lying so comfortably with. She stood up abruptly and felt her head spin. Had she been cuddling James all night? It had felt so natural when she had been asleep, but now she felt confused. She had always been sure she didn't fancy him, yet all she wanted to do was fall back asleep in his arms.

Her waking up seemed to have caused enough disturbance in the camp that the others began to wake up too, each of them rubbing their eyes and yawning loudly. Every single one of them looked around for a moment, perplexed, before remembering their choice to camp out the night before.

"Where's Tigs?" yawned Dorcas, after a while. The group all looked between each other, all of them half expecting Tigs to pop up.

"She's probably back at the house," said Sirius, "You know her." The others agreed that Tigs was, most likely, back at the house, and so began to gather up the belongings. Remus pondered the night before. He had kissed Tigs. Maybe he liked her. Maybe he would have a chance with her. Maybe one day he could tell her about his condition. Just maybe they could be happy.

* * *

Tigs apparated into Solarium Manor's back garden with a loud crack. She wiped the tears from her face and walked in through the backdoor, jumping into the nearest bathroom before anyone could notice her. Her bleary reflection stared back at her in the ornate mirror. She looked a mess. The residue of the makeup from the night before was smeared under her eyes, which were pink and puffy. She filled the sink with water and washed her face. She didn't usually go about with no makeup on, but she figured that it looked better than the panda eyes she had donned all morning. The sound of laughter and chatter guided her into the kitchen, where her friends were eating lunch.

"Tigsy!" bellowed Sirius on sight of her, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Just had a quick errand to run," she lied. Remus pulled out the chair next to him and she collapsed into it.

"We've just been talking about last night," grinned James, "Haven't been on that much of a bender in a while."

"Absolutely wankered," confirmed Amelia.

"I can't even remember anything," said Tigs, lying for a second time in the space of a few minutes.

"What? Nothing?" asked Remus, suspiciously.

"Well I remember the start of the night, but after that it's all blank," she said.

"But I drank way more than you and I can remember it all." He pushed, he could tell she was lying.

"I guess I'm just a lightweight then," she said, firmly. Remus frowned, he knew Tigs had to be lying, but why did she feel the need to do so? Was she embarrassed to have kissed him? Did she think herself superior? He felt rage bubble up inside him, he couldn't even look at her.

They finished the meal rather quickly, all of them, apart from Tigs, guzzling down large quantities of food. Caster, who had made a reappearance, cleared away the dishes and took them into the kitchen. The group began to dissipate, as they all removed themselves to go and change, shower, or nap. Remus left the room first, and began marching down the corridor angrily.

"Remus?" asked Tigs, who had followed after him. She could tell he was upset about something. He ignored her, obviously and purposefully, and stormed up the stairs and into his room. Tigs stood at the bottom, feeling dejected and lonely. She moped outside and plonked down on the stone steps. She took out a cigarette and took a long drag.

"Mistress Tigs?" came a small voice a few cigarettes later. Tigs turned around to see the house elf Caster on the steps behind her.

"Hey Caster," she said quietly, her eyes watery.

"Are you okay Mistress?" he asked kindly, "Can I get anything for you?"

"No thanks Caster," she smiled. The house elf bowed low, turned around and made to leave. Tigs had just turned away from him when he spoke again.

"Master Black," he said politely, bowing again.

"Don't call me that." Snapped Sirius, and then softening his tone, "Sorry, it just reminds me of my parents' house elf. Couldn't stand him." Caster nodded and returned to the house, while Sirius sat down on the steps next to Tigs.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Not really," she said quietly.

"What's up?"

"I saw an old friend this morning and, well, let's just say they weren't particularly nice to me."

"Who do I need to beat up?" Sirius joked, "I'm kidding. Screw 'em Tigs. You're worth more than that." Tigs managed a weak smile and rested her head lazily on Sirius' shoulder.

"I'm not sure I am Sirius,"

* * *

Hi everyone!

Much quicker update here as promised :) Thanks so so much to the lovely reviews from pottiehead101 and AGirlLostInTime, your reviews are everything xx

Love and kisses to all my faithful readers,

ImagineHP xxx


	23. Partying and Proposals

Partying and Proposals

Time flew by at Solarium Manor, and soon two weeks of their stay in St Ives had gone. Though the weather had been unfathomably sunny, the friends' attitudes had not always followed suit. Everyone noticed the new found distance between Remus and Tigs, but the reality was more serious than they had feared. Unbeknown to everyone else, Remus hadn't spoken to Tigs at all since their first night. Tigs, who had retreated even further inwards, had not told anyone of the rift nor of the details of her tryst with Angus, and Remus, who was rather embarrassed, had not told anyone of his anger for Tigs either. The group had decreased in numbers slightly, with many of its members being called off to various family holidays or occasions. Dorcas had left to take her annual summer trip to Corfu, Peter's parents had rented a villa in Spain, and Amelia was holidaying in the Lake District with her grandparents. Therefore, the now smaller group were almost forced to bond with each other where they otherwise might not have done.

* * *

Lily Evans walked down the coastal path, the strong wind buffeting her hair. She had just washed her hair, and it felt cold on her neck, despite the glorious sunshine beating down upon the white sands. She stopped for a minute in her errand and observed the view, from the clear blue sky, to the glistening water, to the pure white sand. It couldn't be more different to the closely built terraced houses of Cokeworth. There were no factories here, no cigarette-like towers protruding across the skyline, no smog in the crisp, salty air. She absorbed the new atmosphere, let it soak into her bones. She needed it. She had begun to feel trapped in her parents' house, swamped by the prissiness of her sister and the snobbishness of her insufferable boyfriend. Vernon Dursley seemed to occupy every part of wherever he resided, his small mindedness swelling up and infecting them all like a nasty disease. Lily's wand arm had twitched more than once during his stay and, if it weren't for some lingering if misguided loyalty to her sister, she wouldn't have been able to resist cursing him with something as equally as foul as him. Lily shook her head, as though trying to shake away her negative thoughts. It upset her to think this way about her sister, but it was hard. She continued her quiet stroll down towards the village. She reached her destination rather quickly, the empty telephone box at the bottom of the hill looked grubby in the morning sun. She opened its weather-beaten door, put a few coins into the slot and dialled the number.

"Hello?" came the voice of her excited mother from the other end of the receiver.

"Hello? Mum? It's Lily!" said Lily, raising her voice slightly as it seemed that her mother was some distance from the telephone.

"Lily!" her mother replied, very giddily, "We've just had the most wonderful news!"

"What is it?" asked Lily, still raising her voice. She could her other voices in the background.

"Hold on, I'll fetch Petunia," Lily heard her mother shout to her sister, "Tuney come and tell your sister the good news!" The sound of raised voices, an argument of some sort, followed by the fumbling of the telephone met her ears.

"Hello Lily," came the voice of Petunia, who sounded like a child who had been forced to speak to a relative they particularly disliked.

"Hey Tuney," replied Lily, trying to sound friendly. "What's your news?"

"Vernon and I are getting married. He proposed this morning." she said curtly. Lily felt her heart drop.

"Oh good, brilliant news." Lily snapped, not even trying to change her tone.

"It is actually. Bye." Petunia hung up, rudely, a harsh dialling tone pouring out of the receiver. Lily replaced the telephone, gently, thoughts whizzing through her head. She knew her mother would've usually been upset at Petunia's rudeness but, at this point in time, Lily decided that she didn't care. Disappointment flowed through her veins, making her hot and angry. All the way through Petunia and Vernon's relationship, Lily had prayed that Petunia would eventually see sense, that she would eventually relent her personal vendetta against Lily, that she would eventually forgive Lily for her magic, but her marriage to Vernon destroyed all these hopes. Lily trudged back down the path, barely lifting her feet as she followed the path lazily back to Solarium Manor.

* * *

James caught the two pieces of toast as they popped up from the top of the toaster. He laid them down on the plate and buttered it. He wasn't especially used to having such an absent house elf, at each of his other houses the house elves were attentive and professional, most unlike Caster. Though wizarding custom would dictate that he should present Caster with clothes, or at least make him punish himself, James was rather fond of his slightly rebellious attitude. Lily stormed into the kitchen, interrupting his thoughts about the house elf, and poured herself a drink of water. She was red faced and a little sweaty.

"Are you okay Evans?" asked James, timidly eating his toast.

"I just found out my sister is marrying one of the nastiest, awful men I've ever met," she sighed.

"That's rough," said James dumbly, searching for something meaningful to say.

"Yeah," agreed Lily, "He's so devoid of any magic, and I don't just mean our magic, any kind of spark, he doesn't have it."

"They're the worst sort of people," said James, "I can't stand dullness."

"Me neither."

* * *

After they had eaten and night began to fall, the friends retired to the largest of the house's sitting rooms and lounged lazily on its sofas and armchairs. James and Lily were playing exploding snap, the others absent-mindedly watching the game.

"We should go out," said Molly, interrupting the game.

"Where?" asked Sirius.

"I don't know, a pub or a bar or something," she replied.

"There's nowhere to go that won't be full of absolutely everyone from school," said James, "Both the Leaky Cauldron and Three Broomsticks are like a school reunion,"

"We could go to a muggle place?" suggested Lily.

"We aren't old enough," Sirius pointed out, "Need to be 18 for muggle clubs,"

"There's this club in London, I know the manager, he'd probably let us in without ID." Said Tigs.

"He'd let us all in?"

"Definitely,"

* * *

A few hours later, the group of sixth years stood in the warm night air, all of them dressed significantly more smartly than they were before. The queue leading into the club was rather lengthy, and the friends were stood about half way to the entrance. Two very large, bald headed bouncers stood at the entrance to the club, their arms folded and a firm look upon their faces.

"I hope your friend comes through Tigs," muttered James, "I really don't like the look of those bouncers." Just as the words left his mouth, as though they were acting on cue, the bouncers refused the entry some people and, when they refused to leave quietly, had practically lifted one of them up by the scruff of the neck and out on to the street. The queue moved forwards very quickly, and while none of them particularly enjoyed waiting on the street, they found their nerves rising with each step towards the club.

"ID," demanded the bouncer, plainly. The friends looked between each other.

"I'm friends with Owen," state Tigs, confidently.

"Good for you." Replied the bouncer. Tigs retained eye contact with him whilst the others exchanged concerned glances.

"Owen is the manager and he's a very good friend of mine. He promised us free entry." She continued.

"No ID no entry."

"I don't think your manager would agree,"

"My manager is isn't called Owen. Jog on." he shooed them with his hand, beckoning the next group in the queue forwards. Disappointment began to spread across the group, and some of them began to move away from the entrance.

"Owen told me that he'd sack anyone who turned me away. My name's Tigs, he might've mentioned it." Tigs persevered. The bouncer whirled around, making eye contact with Tigs for the first time. He leant back and whispered in the ear of his colleague. The caught a few murmurs of their conversation.

" _I don't want to get the sack-"_

" _I'm sure it wasn't Tigs-"_

" _Tilly wasn't it?"_

" _We should check-"_

" _Look at the queue-"_

Eventually, one of the bouncers headed up the stairs into the club to check if it was indeed Tigs whom their manager told them to let in. The friends stood awkwardly on the street, to the side of the queue so that other customers could make their way in. A few minutes later, the other bouncer returned and gestured that they could come without payment and without ID. They practically ran up the stairs and on to the dancefloor, anxious to escape from the bouncers before they changed their mind. David Bowie blared out across the dancefloor and the friends leapt past the bar and begun to dance.

* * *

"Two Sambucas aaaaannnnddd- " Tigs shouted across the bar, Lily standing next to her , and then turned to her other friends, "What are you having?"

"Three whiskeys and coke, and a shot of vodka." James shouted back. Tigs didn't hear him and instead ordered a shot of Sambuca for all of them. She and Lily drank theirs before carrying the other drinks across the room.

"Tigs!" yelled a good looking boy in his mid-twenties.

"Owen! Hi!" replied Tigs, almost sloshing the shots across the floor. She dashed across the room and set down the drinks, before hugging Owen.

"These are my friends," said Tigs and she introduced them one by one. Owen said hello politely, but it was clear he had absolutely no interest in talking to anyone but Tigs.

"I'll get you some drinks in," he said, "On the house,"

* * *

Owen pushed the boat out, providing them with a private booth and as much as they wanted to drink. The private booth changed the atmosphere a bit, and the mood moved away from dancing and towards drinking much more. The group sat down and chatted, the conversation rather garbled, Molly and Lily occasionally getting up to dance. Owen had isolated Tigs from the rest of the conversation, he leant in towards her, pushing her hair out of her face. The others remained ever conscious of the seemingly womanizing Owen, who they had all agreed, in a very hushed conversation, was something of a sleazy character. However, after a short while, Owen had begun to kiss Tigs, forcing the others out of the booth and on to the dancefloor. It was just getting towards one o'clock when Tigs approached the group, most of whom were slightly angry that she had ditched them.

"Guys," she said, "I'm going to go back with Owen, but he's said you can still have free drinks for the rest of the night."

"Okay," said James, a little moodily, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure?" said Lily with concern.

"Yeah it's fine," replied Tigs, and she turned on her heel and left with Owen.

* * *

Owen's house was expensive but messy. Any attempt at interior design was cheap and tacky, yet it was so sparse to really add anything to the dull home. His bed had no headboard, and his clothes hung on a wire rack. Tigs lay on his bed and observed the room, from the grey paint peeling off the walls, to the light bulb without the shade, to their clothes lay on the bare floorboards. She closed her eyes and attempted to doze off when Owen spoke.

"I wouldn't normally ask, but you're a cool girl so I think you'll understand," he said, and Tigs rolled over to face him.

"Would you mind just… leaving?" he said abruptly.

"What?" asked Tigs, taken aback.

"Well my girlfriend will be back in the morning so it would be easier if you left now," he said harshly. Tigs felt a lump in her throat, and nodded. She clambered out of the bed and pulled on her clothes. Owen lead her to the front door at least, before waving her goodbye and slamming the door. Tigs stumbled out into the dark street, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt cheap, used, stupid. Everything Angus had said to her swam across her mind, all consolidating itself as true. She calmed down her breathing, wiped her tears from her face and disapparated. She landed, loudly, in a small dark room.

"Mil?" said Tigs, through her tears. Amelia sat up in her bed and flicked the light on.

"Tigs?" she said, yawning, "What are you doing here?"

"I've had a bit of a rough night," Tigs stuttered. Amelia cast muffliato on the bedroom door, and gestured to her bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she said. Tigs collapsed on the bed and Amelia put her arm round her.

"I did something really stupid,"

Tigs explained the night, how Owen had treated her, what Angus had said ,and Amelia listened kindly. She hugged her friend and comforted her. The pair fell asleep in Amelia's bed and woke late the next morning, Amelia's grandparents knocking on the door for her to wake up.

"Thanks for letting me stay Mil," said Tigs the next morning, pulling her coat back over her shoulders.

"No problem Tigs, any time," Amelia smiled.

"I just couldn't go back, I couldn't face everyone and explain what happened." Tigs shook her head. Amelia reached out her arm and rubbed Tigs' arm. The two girls hugged once more, before Tigs disapparated. She landed outside Solarium Manor a few seconds later.

* * *

Hi everyone!

I've been having some technical issues with my computer so this update took a little longer. Thanks to AGirlLostInTime and I agree the last chapter broke my heart too! Tigs is going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment but everything will turn out alright, I promise!

Love and kisses,

ImagineHP


	24. Prison and Protests

Prison and Protests.

"How was your night?" asked Lily, as the group sat down to breakfast.

"Okay," replied Tigs, nonchalantly, "And yours?"

"We left at about 4:30 and then came back here," Lily yawned, while the others helped themselves to the sausage, bacon, and eggs that Caster had prepared for them. Molly rubbed her eyes sleepily, before delving into her pocket and pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. She placed it on the table between her and Tigs, and smoothed it out. Tigs recognised it instantly, as she was the one who had given it to Molly in the first place.

"It's today," she said, pointing at the date that was printed underneath the location, "I think we should go."

"Yeah, me too," Tigs agreed, nodding her head.

"Everyone," said Tigs, raising her voice over the conversation, "There's a women's lib rally today in London, me and Mol are going to go,"

"It's protesting Miss Universe," added Molly, "And it'd be great if you would come with us, the more the better."

"Sure," said Sirius, "I've no idea who 'Miss Universe' is but I'll come along,"

"I might be being stupid here, but what's women's lib?" asked James. Those of the group who had connections to the muggle world felt their jaws drop. After a few seconds however, Molly, who was a pureblood, spoke.

"In the wizarding world, we have certain prejudices, with ours tending to be about blood status. But in the muggle world they don't have blood status, so they have their own prejudices. They tend to be against women or minorities. In our world, women have the same rights as men, they can hold the same positions as men, and they are respected as much as men. The muggle world isn't like that, and the women's lib movement wants to level the playing field." She said, and James and Sirius listened intently. After she had explained, the boys asked more questions and soon agreed, rather fervently, that they would indeed come along to the rally.

* * *

The group of Hogwarts students apparated into a small street in London a few hours later. They were all weighed down by signs and bags of pamphlets and badges. They had spent all morning preparing them, with most of it spent trying to talk Sirius out of making badge that would change colour. They all wore white t-shirts with the phrase "Women are the Future" written upon them. The found the rest of the protesters rather quickly, and soon began to hand out the badges to anyone who would take them. Remus separated the pamphlets into equal piles and they each took one to hand out to passers-by. Police lined the edges of the square they were situated in, keeping an eye on proceedings and ready to make arrests if things got violent. The afternoon passed by fairly uneventfully until about 3pm. Lily attempted to hand a flyer to a bald headed man who was walking by.

"Get back in the kitchen you silly bitch," he barked, before _spitting_ on her. Lily stood there for a second, shocked, and was just about to respond when she saw a fist collide with the man's face. It was James. He hit the man clean in the face, breaking his nose. A scuffle began, and soon Remus and Sirius and two other men, who seemed to know the man who had spat on Lily, had joined in. Lily, Molly and Tigs managed to drag them apart, with the help of some subtle magic, before the police had noticed anything.

"You want to take them," spat Tigs, "Then you take us as well." The man laughed falsely, trying to appear more confident than he was.

"Something funny?" said Tigs sarcastically, "Do you really want to try six against three? You can't be that thick. Besides, if you touch any of my friends again, you'll only have to worry about me. I will _burn_ you." Tigs stood nose to nose with the man, drawn up to her full height, her eyes stormy and her voice unyielding. The bald man seemed to admit defeat, and gestured to his friends to leave.

* * *

Darkness fell late, the air still warm from the sunshine in the day. The press had covered the protest in great depth, with most of the Hogwarts students giving a statement themselves. Remus and Sirius gave an impassioned if slightly inarticulate speech about why they supported the movement, Molly giving her own more sophisticated rendition of the same message. Tigs quoted Frida Kahlo, and Lily and James had become rather embarrassed when the reporter asked how long they had been dating. As the numbers dwindled during the day, the protesters began to talk to each other, and by the time it grew dark, felt an inexplicable bond with each other. As they all linked in arms and chanted about the sexual oppression of women in the media, not one of them noticed a bald headed man walk past the protest twice.

* * *

It was about half past ten at night that the bald man from before returned with a much larger group of thugs. They stormed the protest, calling the women all sorts of names and telling everyone that they should "know their place". This time it wasn't a small scuffle that the police would miss. The police charged in, full force, arresting anyone they could get their hands on. During the chaos, the sixth year students searched the crowd for each other and soon managed to form a small group. Remus, Molly and Lily stood to the side of the now turbulent crowd, each of them frantically scanning the crowd for any sign of their friends. Sirius burst out of the crowd a few minutes later, his nose bleeding.

"James is coming behind me," he panted and a few second later James appeared, sweating.

"We need to go," he said, stupidly.

"Where's Tigs?" asked Remus. The group looked between them, despite knowing that Tigs wasn't there.

"She'll be here in a minute," stated Lily. And they waited. She didn't come.

"I'm going back for her," said Remus, and he left before anyone could protest, though he knew they would've done, and if he'd have been listening to his mind then he would have agreed with them, but he wasn't listening to his mind. He looked across the crowd, studying every face. The thugs had gone now, but the police had replaced them. They were making arrests across the protest, starting fights, fights were they had truncheons and the people didn't. It was then that he saw her, she was stood near a police van, in a group of other protesters, shouting at the policeman who was standing in front of it. Remus sprinted over, just before he got there the policeman dragged Tigs by her hair from the crowd, slammed her against the van and handcuffed her.

"Get off her!" screamed Remus, "She hasn't done anything wrong,"

"Not another trouble causer," growled the policeman.

"Let her go," Remus snarled, anger boiling up inside him, "Or so help me god, I will-"

"Is that a threat? Are you threatening a police officer?" snapped the policeman. Remus looked at him, perplexed. He was looking for a reason to arrest him. Remus opened his mouth and shut it again. He didn't know what he could say that wouldn't result in him getting arrested.

"Fuck you," he said, deciding that he was going to lose either way. Soon he and Tigs found themselves in the back of a police van, driving to the station with their hands behind their back.

* * *

"Shit," said Lily, pacing the floor of the living room at Solarium Manor, "Shit, shit, shit. What do we do?"

"We can't do anything Lil'," sighed Molly.

"We can! We…we can break them out!" she said, triumphantly.

"No we can't," said James, "If we use magic to break them out it would be a serious breach of the Statute of Secrecy."

"And they'd end up in much more trouble than they are now," added Sirius, "They'll just have to wait out the night,"

"There's no way they'll be charged, they didn't do anything illegal," said Molly. Lily collapsed into a squashy armchair.

"Let's hope not," she breathed.

* * *

"In here," said an exasperated police officer, gesturing to a cell. Remus and Tigs filed in, and the policeman locked the door behind them.

"Great, I'm locked in here with you," muttered Remus.

"Oh I'm sorry," said Tigs sarcastically, "You were the one who had to come running to the rescue,"

"Oh, so you didn't want me to?" Remus returned her sarcasm.

"It hasn't exactly done either of us any good," she snapped. Silence fell between them, as the crushing reality that they would have to spend the night there settled upon them. After a few minutes passed, Remus cleared his throat and spoke.

"Why did you pretend that you don't remember kissing me?" he said, calmly. Tigs whirled around, surprised.

"I-I-I didn't," she stuttered, avoiding his eye.

"Don't lie to me," he said, his voice shaking from emotion. Tigs looked up at him, into his soft green eyes.

"I don't want you to like me," she half-whispered.

"Why? Because I'm not good enough? Well I'm sorry I'm not the best looking guy in the year, or a top Quidditch player-"

"Will you just shut up for a minute?" she snapped, interrupting him. "It's wasn't about that. God, do you really think I'm that shallow?"

"What was it about then?"

"I don't want you to like me because you're too good for me, not the other way around." She said. Remus pondered this for a moment, whatever he'd been expecting, it wasn't that.

"But you don't like me. You like boys like Owen,"

"I never said I didn't like you,"

"But you never said you did."

"Neither did you Remus,"

"But how can I be too good? Loads of people fancy you…"

"Yeah and do you want to know why?" said Tigs, tears in her eyes, "Because I'm a slut Remus, that's why people take an interest in me. That's why you're too good. You deserve _so_ much more than me." Tigs collapsed on to the small bed, tears streaming down her face.

"You're not a slut," said Remus, after a few minutes.

"I am," croaked Tigs.

"You're not. Would you call Owen a slut? No, because he's a man. That's what we're fighting for, isn't it? That's why we're in here. Tigs you're the most tolerant, liberal person I've ever met, yet you sit there and call yourself a slut? You need to stop being so harsh on yourself." He said, sitting down next to Tigs and putting his arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and he kissed her forehead.

"And I thought it was my choice who I want to fancy, not yours." He added.

"Recently someone told me that they were only bullied because people knew he'd slept with me. I didn't want that to happen to you, I just wanted to protect you from getting hurt."

"But you shouldn't do that if it means you get hurt in the process."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You haven't done anything wrong," said Remus. "And I don't fancy you because I think you're easy. I fancy you because you're my _Lovely Rita_ ,"

* * *

Tigs and Remus eventually fell into an uneasy sleep. It was hot and stuffy in the cell and, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get comfortable. At around five in the morning, Tigs started screaming. Remus jumped out of bed, his eyes snapping awake, and looked around. The cell was completely empty, only he and Tigs occupied it. He shook Tigs awake and she awoke with a start, her eyes searching the cell in confusion. Her breathing was frantic, but she calmed it down enough to tell Remus that she was okay.

"What happened?" he asked, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Nightmare," she breathed.

"About your mum?" he asked, softly. Tigs nodded, he put his arm around her.

"You're safe now, she can't hurt you anymore," he said, and they sat in silence for over half an hour before Tigs spoke.

"She didn't just hit me," she said quietly, rolling down her sleeve. A large, oval scar covered the inside of her forearm.

"Incendio," she explained, pointing at it. Remus ran his finger over it, tenderly. She pulled her collar to the side, revealing a long thin scar across her shoulder.

"Diffindo," she said, simply, "Magic makes it much easier to hurt people. Though she wasn't always so creative, normally she would revert to the old fashioned way and just hit me."

"Did she ever-"

"Cruciatus curse? Once, but she never did it again,"

* * *

Tigs and Remus were released with no charge early that morning, and when they arrived at Solarium Manor a few minutes later, they were given a hero's welcome. Everyone was over the moon that they hadn't faced a worse sentence, and that neither of them had been hurt during the process. Lily informed them that they had been featured in the newspaper, and that the protest had been very successful. They all sat down to breakfast, grins across their faces, no one knowing that Remus and Tigs were holding hands underneath the table.

* * *

Hi everyone!

Thanks so so much for reading! Thanks again to AGirlLostInTime, my loyal follower :) Next update should be up pretty soon,

Love and Kisses,

ImagineHP


	25. Weddings and Waiting Rooms

Weddings and Waiting Rooms

Tigs tugged at the fabric tassels on the edge of the chintzy cushion. They were frayed, probably due to the amount of times people had nervously played with them. The entire office was reflective of that old fashioned, tasselled cushion. Tigs looked around, there were decorative plates on the wall, a thick, patterned rug, and an incense stick burning on the mantle place. It was obvious that someone had tried very hard to make the room seem homely. A very tall, greying man came in and sat down on the sofa opposite Tigs.

"Good morning, Miss Tighe," he said, his voice was posh and smooth, "Shall we commence with your fourth session?"

* * *

Lily woke up at 11:30 to knock at the door. She rolled out of bed lazily, rubbing her eyes, and answered the door. James Potter was stood, waiting, on her doorstep. He was wearing jeans, a Harrington jacket, and a raglan t-shirt. Considering he wasn't used to matching muggle clothes, Lily thought he looked very good. His hair was as messy as usual, his hazel eyes twinkling underneath the thick rims of his glasses. Though he always looked good, that morning he looked particularly attractive, and Lily found herself feeling self-conscious as she stood in front of him in her pink dressing gown. She gathered her dressing gown around her, making sure to hide her childish pyjamas, and twiddled with her un-brushed hair.

"Morning Evans," James grinned, the sun shining from behind him.

"James? What are you doing here?" she yawned, crinkling her eyes at the bright sunlight.

"I thought we could do something today," he said, stepping inside the porch. Lily walked into the sitting room and James followed her.

"Just me and you?" she asked.

"Yeah, well Tigs and Sirius have that wedding thing, Remus is out with his mum and Peter's still on holiday," he reeled them off.

"Okay yeah, I suppose we can do something," Lily agreed, "I just need to get ready, you can come up if you want." James followed her up the stairs, past a very old fashioned bathroom and into what he assumed was Lily's room. There were very few signs of magic in the room, all the people in the posters stood still, and all of Lily's school equipment was bundled into the bottom of her wardrobe.

"Petunia's boyfriend has been staying over," Lily explained, "He doesn't know about magic,"

"Ah," said James, knowingly, "Is this the awful one?"

"Yep," confirmed Lily. She took a sundress out of her wardrobe and left to put it on. She came back a few minutes later, plonked down on the stool in front of the dresser and began to brush her hair. She tied it up in a ponytail and, deciding she didn't have enough time for makeup, turned to James and said she was ready to go.

"Beautiful," said James, grinning. Lily rolled her eyes, but a smile creeped back across her face.

"Come on then, let's go."

* * *

"Same time next week?"

"Sure," replied Tigs, smiling, "See you later." She pulled the handle of the office door, it was a big, heavy brass one, and the door was stiff. She let the door slam behind her, put a cigarette between her lips, took out a lighter and lit it. She looked across the waiting room, a line of people sat waiting to go in. They were all looking at Tigs like she was an animal in a zoo.

"You can go in now," she said, pointing at the door. She walked out of the room, smoking, and into the warm summer air. Tigs had begun attending weekly sessions with the therapist, on Remus' recommendation, and it was helping immensely. She had to leave out all the details about magic, but she was still learning to cope more and had stopped having nightmares as frequently. She walked into a back alley, stubbed out her cigarette, and disapparated. She landed on the steps of her house, looked over her shoulder to make sure that no one had seen her, then unlocked the front door. Her owl, Henry, was perched on the windowsill with three letters at its feet. Tigs picked them up and collapsed on to the sofa. She opened up the first letter, which was written on thick, heavy parchment.

 _Tigs,_

 _I told Samantha how I feel about her. She told me she thinks she feels the same. She even admitted that she remembered kissing me! She wants to try a relationship, but has asked us to keep it on the down low for now. I'm so happy!_

 _Love,_

 _Amelia_

Tigs smiled as she folded the letter back up and placed it in her pocket, she would write her response later. The next one was a small note rather than a letter, it wasn't in an envelope and had just been folded shut.

 _I'll meet you at 3pm. Looking forward to it,_

 _Sirius_

The last letter was much longer than the first two and Tigs recognised the handwriting instantly. The words were scrawled across the paper, huge blots of ink dotting around it. It smelt strongly of ink because its writer always loaded up their quill too much. Remus.

 _Tigs,_

 _I'd just like to apologise again for not being able to come with you tonight, I really wish I could be there. I really can't get out of this thing with my mum. I know how hard it will be for you, just remember that Sirius knows some of what you're going through, and I know he sometimes comes off as a bit of dick but he really cares about you. If things get bad, talk to him. It'll be over before you know it and you can leave whenever you need to. Even if you just say hi to Hattie and then leave, you've done more than enough. I'm glad to hear that therapy is going well, the doctor sounds really nice. I can't wait to see you back at school on Thursday,_

 _Remus x_

Tigs read it through twice. Her and Remus had both been very busy since the rally and hadn't managed to see each other. She wasn't sure what the next step would be in their relationship, she only knew that she didn't want to be with anyone else. She checked her watch, it was 2 o'clock. She needed to start getting ready so she headed upstairs to her room.

* * *

"Okay, here goes!" said James, gripping the rope swing tightly. He pushed off from the bank and swung out across the lake. He swung up high, and then swung back to the bank.

"Jump off now!" shouted Lily, gleefully. James tried to jump off but left it too late, and ended up swinging back over the water.

"James you need to jump!" Lily repeated, laughing. James jumped, missing the bank by quite a way, and landed in the clear blue water below. Lily burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, which was only made worse when James emerged, sopping wet.

"Help me out," he laughed, flicking water from his hair. Lily climbed tentatively down the bank and reached out her hand towards James'. He clutched at her hand gently, before pulling her so that she too fell in. She emerged from the water, dripping wet and spluttering.

"You bastard!" she squealed, playfully hitting his shoulder. The pair burst into laughter, unable to control themselves. James leant in and pushed a piece of wet hair from Lily's face. His hazel eyes met her green ones and, in that moment, there was no one but them in the whole world.

* * *

At exactly 3pm, Sirius knocked on Tigs' door, dressed in a rather dapper set of dress robes. The door swung open and Tigs, looking a lot more feminine than usual, was on the other side. Sirius was slightly taken aback. Tigs usually wore jeans, even during school, and rarely wore anything particularly girly. To see Tigs in a dress that wasn't for school or for a costume was uncommonly rare, so when Sirius saw his close friend stood in front of him in a dress reminiscent of the 1920s it took all he had not to start.

"Er… are you ready?" he said, awkwardly.

"As ready as I'll ever be," sighed Tigs, standing to one side so that Sirius could get in. She shut the door behind him, took his arm, and then disapparated. They landed on a quiet road in a small village a few hundred miles south. Tigs pulled a thick piece of cream coloured paper with golden lettering from her pocket.

"It says the church is just around the corner," she said, reading off the paper. She made to walk down the road when Sirius rested his hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to do this Tigsy," he said, tenderly.

"If Hattie wants me there I have to go," said Tigs, plainly.

"Okay, as long as you're sure," replied Sirius, and he followed her down the street.

* * *

James climbed up the steep bank of the lake first, before turning around to help Lily up. They scrambled up on the higher, flatter ground where Lily dried their clothes with a flick of her wand. The trees around them were quiet, and sunlight dappled the ground at their feet. It was a hot day, so the coolness of the shade from the trees was a huge relief. They spent the rest of the day in the woods together, climbing trees, making dens, scaring birds by sending up sparks with their wand. They had long conversations too, in fact, much of the day was taken up by them sat on the cool ground, talking. By the time they began to return home, moonlight was dappling the ground rather than the sun. Soon they made it out of the woods, and Lily looked up at the sky. It was clear and dotted with stars, the large full moon sat in the centre of it.

"It's a full moon," said Lily, pointing at it.

"Yes it is," said James, craning his neck back. He crossed his fingers in his pocket, hoping that Remus had a good night.

* * *

They soon found the pretty little church whose address was written on the invitation Tigs had received several weeks earlier. Hattie, Tigs' older cousin, was getting married and, much to Tigs' surprise, had invited her to the wedding. Tigs had a very distant memory of playing with Hattie when she was very young, but since she had been cut off from her mother's family for most of her life, she was unsure why Hattie had invited her, nor why she had attached a very persuasive note to the invitation expressing that Tigs would be very welcome at the wedding. Initially, Tigs had discarded both the invitation and the note, but after a long hard think she decided to act on her therapist's advice and deal with her problems head on. Sirius had agreed to accompany her after Remus had explained that he was busy.

The church service was nice enough, Hattie looked beautiful, though Tigs conceded that she wouldn't have recognised her in any other context. Hattie was a quite a few years older than Tigs, and the two had never been at Hogwarts at the same time. The man she was marrying was rather good looking as well, the invitation listed his name as Patrick, but neither Sirius nor Tigs knew him. They found out later from one of his relatives that he was American, and that was why neither Tigs nor Sirius knew him. The reception was held in a rather grand village hall, and for the most of it Tigs and Sirius stayed together, rarely talking to other people, many of whom threw dirty looks in their direction every couple of minutes.

"Fancy a dance?" asked Sirius, gesturing to the dance floor.

"Yeah alright," said Tigs, Celestina Warbeck was playing and neither of them particularly liked her. The song was relatively upbeat and, despite the number of people on the dancefloor, Tigs and Sirius were the only ones really dancing. Hattie moved on to the dancefloor with her new husband and after a few minutes danced her way over to Tigs.

"Edith!" she exclaimed, "So glad you could make it!"

"Thanks for inviting me," replied Tigs and, much to Tigs' surprise, Hattie pulled her into a tight hug. She waved goodbye and turned to talk to someone else.

"Shall we get some drinks?" said Tigs, raising her voice over the music. Sirius nodded and the pair vacated the dance floor and headed for the bar.

"Two butterbeers please," Tigs asked the barman. She was just paying when she was interrupted by an elderly woman sat on the bar stool next to her.

"You've got some nerve coming here," she said, nastily.

"Excuse me?" asked Tigs calmly.

"You heard," she spat, "Filthy half blood, you dishonour our family name."

"Well that's alright because I haven't got your name," said Tigs coolly. The woman ignored her.

"Swanning in her when you know how your father forcibly seduced your mother, how dare you try to be a part of this family."

"I'm not trying to be part of this family. I received an invitation from Hattie, so I came," Tigs did her best to keep her cool, she knew that getting angry wouldn't help her. The woman ignored her again.

"And bringing that treacherous Black boy," she shot Sirius a look.

"He's actually my boyfriend," lied Tigs, "And if you don't mind, we're going to go home now, have a threesome with a muggle, free some house elves, and then go on a campaign for the rights of werewolves. Cheerio." The woman looked as though she had just been slapped across the face, Tigs maintained a constant sycophantic smile, took Sirius' hand, and left.

* * *

Hi everyone,

This is the last summer chapter I'm afraid! Sorry for taking so long to update, next chapter should be up soon. Thanks so much again to AGirlLostInTime for another lovely review! Please please review, it gives me life! Let me know what you think might happen next!

Love and kisses,

ImagineHP


	26. Rifts and Romance

Rifts and Romance

 _*Trigger warning- there is a homophobic slur used in this chapter *_

The summer holidays were over as quickly as they had begun, and soon the sixth years were seventh years and found themselves returning to Hogwarts for the final time. The journey back to the school felt strange. Everyone was very aware that everything they did was the last time. It was the last time they would meet on Platform 9 3/4, the last time they would take the Hogwarts Express on September 1st. The train felt different, they noticed things about that they had never noticed before. The fabric on the seats had been matched wrong, so the pattern was interrupted about halfway across the seat. The pumpkin pasties tasted a million times better, as they each savoured every crumb. James and Lily had to leave halfway through the journey, as they explained that they were the Head Boy and Girl. Everyone was thrilled for Lily, even Amelia, who had desperately wanted the position for herself, and everyone slightly bemused by the choice to appoint James. However, Tigs could hardly resist pointing out to Emmeline that Dumbledore could be playing matchmaker. When the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, they all crammed themselves into one carriage, determined that they would not be split up for the last journey into the school. They all, including James and Sirius, listened intently to the Sorting Hat's song and watched every single first year get sorted. Someone made another comment about it being their last year, and therefore the last sorting ceremony, the last of Dumbledore's speeches, and their last start of year feast.

"It's crazy to think that this time next year we'll be out in the world, school will be over, we'll all be working," said Amelia, and Tigs agreed.

"Mind you, if things get any worse with the death eaters, we might be at war," added Dorcas.

"Let's hope not," sighed Sirius. Their group was somewhat depleted, as James, Lily and Remus all had to escort the first years up to Gryffindor tower, and Molly had been sat on the Ravenclaw table. The remaining seventh years made their way out of the Great Hall, patiently strolling behind the crowd who were trying to push to the front of the hall. A small group of fourth year boys were stood in front of them. Tigs was just talking to Amelia about the Holyhead Harpies when one of the boys, obviously egged on by the others, turned around.

"Dyke," he spat at Amelia, much to the hilarity of his friends. Tigs and Amelia, who were the only ones who had heard him, were taken aback. Amelia felt as though her heart had dropped ten feet while simultaneously being stabbed in the stomach.

"What the fuck did you just say?" asked Tigs, her voice trembling. The fourth year ignored her. She grabbed him by his tie and practically lifted him off his feet.

"I'm talking to you," she snarled, "What the fuck did you just call my friend?" The boy wormed around trying to wriggle out of Tigs' grasp. He still didn't answer her, he had clearly not been expecting this kind of reaction, and his friends had all left him there. They were stood a few feet away, looking reproachful. Tigs pulled her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at him, though she didn't intend to actually use it.

"Okay, okay," said the boy, panicking, "I called her a dyke,"

"And why would you call her that?" asked Tigs, angrier still.

"Because she is!" squealed the boy, defensively. Tigs opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Amelia.

"Who told you that?" she asked, still reasonably calm. Tigs pushed her wand into the boy's chest.

"Lucinda Talkalot," he said, even more panicked, "She saw you kissing Samantha Clearwater in Wyevale Park." Amelia's face flooded with emotion, and she nodded at Tigs to release the fourth year boy.

"Don't let me ever hear you say that word again," snapped Tigs, before loosening her grip on him.

"I need to find Samantha," said Amelia urgently. The others looked on in confusion trying to figure out what was going on, as not many of them knew about Amelia's relationship with Samantha. Tigs agreed and the two girls set about looking for Samantha. It didn't take them long, however, as they soon found Samantha being taunted by Lucinda Talkalot. Sirius squared up to Lucinda and told her, in no uncertain terms, to leave. She did, and the small crowd had just begun to dissipate when Samantha drew their attention.

"How could you Mil?" she wailed, tears streaming down her face.

"I promise I didn't tell anyone!" replied Amelia, but it was no use.

"I never want to see you again," barked Samantha, before turning on her heel and running down the corridor, sobbing. The seventh years immediately ran over to Amelia, all hugging and attempting to console her.

* * *

The familiar dormitory the girls had shared for six years felt oddly melancholy. They all felt that their days together in that room were numbered, that the room was a ticking clock that was soon to run out. This was added to by Amelia's recent heartbreak, and Dorcas and Emmeline had left the dreary room to get some food and butterbeer from the kitchens to attempt to console her. Tigs didn't even attempt to direct her cigarette smoke out of the window, and instead sat on the end of Amelia's bed. Fleetwood Mac poured into the air from Tigs' record player, and the two sat listening to it in sombre silence. The pair had a certain understanding of each other, and each of them knew when the other needed comforting and when they needed a little bit of space. This time was most certainly the latter. Everyone had tried their best to console Amelia, but nothing they said really made much of a difference. For now she just needed to think about something else.

"I'm just going to check if the girls are back," said Tigs, and Amelia nodded.

"When you get back," she said, and Tigs paused with her hand on the door, "Can we talk about something, anything, other than what just happened?"

"Of course," Tigs smiled, and she swung the door open and made her way down the steps. The Common Room was almost empty, she looked over to the portrait hole for Dorcas and Emmeline. Just before she was about to head back up to her dorm, the portrait opened, letting Remus Lupin through it. On sight of Tigs, he quickened his pace and she jumped off the bottom of the steps to meet him.

"Where have you been?" she asked, throwing her arms around him. He hugged her back before breaking apart to speak.

"Well I had to help the first years, then I realised I left my cloak in the Great Hall so I went back down to get it. When I was coming back I heard some snotty sixth year bitching about Amelia, and well-" he paused and looked at the ground, shiftily, "- I hexed him,"

"Remus!" gasped Tigs, laughing.

"I know I know," he said, "I shouldn't have done it. It's not funny!" Soon after, however, he begun to laugh himself.

"Well I best get back to Mil," said Tigs, and she bade him goodbye before heading back up the stairs. She entered the dormitory, and Amelia had changed the record from Fleetwood Mac to Rocky Horror.

"Aren't they back yet?" asked Amelia.

"Couldn't see them no," explained Tigs, "Remus just got back so I was talking to him,"

"Oh," said Amelia, pausing before continuing, "You're in love with him, aren't you?" Tigs looked taken aback, but soon relief flooded across her face.

"Yes, yes I am," she said, as though she was realising it for the first time herself, "Yes, that's it, isn't it? I love him. Oh my god. I love him. This is what love feels like doesn't it? I love him. This explains everything! How could I have been so stupid?" She whirled around, pushing past Lily, Emmeline and Dorcas, who were heading past her and into the dorm. They all looked at her, confused, but she didn't care. She ran down the steps as fast as her feet could take her, and reached the bottom of the stairs just as Remus was about to enter his own dormitory at the top.

"Remus!" she shouted. He turned around and walked down the stairs towards her. They met, in the middle of the staircase, and Tigs kissed Remus more passionately than she had ever kissed anyone before.

"I love you," she said after they broke apart. Remus looked incredibly surprised, and he spluttered with his words before he replied to her.

"I love you too," he stuttered, before kissing her again.

* * *

Tigs burst into the dormitory, a huge smile spread across her face.

"What is going on?" asked Lily, who had only just been filled in on what had happened with Amelia.

"I love him!" Tigs exclaimed gleefully, "And he loves me!"

"Who?" asked Lily.

"I never thought this would happen," said Tigs, sitting down next to Amelia.

"Who loves you?" asked Dorcas.

"I love him!"

"Who do you love?" asked Emmeline.

"And he loves me!"

"Who?!" shouted Lily, Emmeline and Dorcas in unison, and Amelia burst into laughter.

"Remus," said Tigs.

"What? Did you just tell him now?" asked Lily, a little surprised.

"Yep," replied Tigs happily.

"So are you dating now?" questioned Dorcas.

"I don't actually know," answered Tigs, "We didn't talk about anything like that,"

"You need to get back out there and ask him!" said Emmeline firmly, "It's no good if you're not exclusive,"

"Em's right! You need to define the relationship," added Dorcas, matter-of-factly.

"Okay," said Tigs, nodding dumbly. Lily applied some lip gloss on Tigs' lips, straightened her uniform, and pushed her out of the door.

* * *

"She loves me!" breathed Remus. The other Marauders all stopped what they were doing and looked at him, perplexed.

"Who loves you?" asked Sirius, sceptically.

"Tigs," said Remus, he could barely even believe what he was saying, "I've wanted this for so long and now it's happened. She loves me."

"Woah woah woah," said James, "Go back to the beginning. Have you been shagging Tigs?"

"What? No, we've only ever kissed once. Well, twice if you include just now,"

"Remus," said Peter, slowly, "We're a bit in the dark here. Why do you think she loves you?"

"Because she just told me," replied Remus, a smile spreading across his face, "Just now she came up to me, kissed me and told me that she loves me,"

"Shit man," breathed James, "Well done!"

"Yeah Moony, well done!" The Marauders all clapped him on the back, and he laughed happily.

"This is from the girl who never says 'I love you'," said James, "She must really mean it,"

"So is she basically your missus now?" joked Sirius.

"The hot new couple?" asked Peter.

"I don't really know," said Remus, frowning, "I didn't exactly ask her out,"

"Are you mad?" asked James in disbelief.

"Get out there and ask her to be your girlfriend!" commanded Sirius, pushing Remus out of the door.

* * *

Tigs started walking down the girls staircase just as Remus started to walk down the boys. They stood exactly opposite each other on their respective staircases. On sight of each other, they both rushed down the stairs, meeting each other in the middle of the two staircases.

"I love you," said Remus, pulling her towards him and kissing her.

"I love you too," she replied, and then they both turned to leave, giddily running up the stairs.

* * *

"Well?" asked Lily.

"Well what?"

"Are you dating?" asked Lily again, a little more impatiently.

"Shit!" said Tigs, before turning around and heading out the door once more.

* * *

"How'd it go Romeo?" asked James.

"How did what go?"

"Did you ask her out?" pushed Sirius.

"Oh fuck," sighed Remus, before opening the door and leaving the room again.

* * *

Once again, Remus and Tigs found themselves on the staircase once again, but before Tigs could speak Remus practically shouted from one side of the staircase to the other.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" She waited until they were stood nose to nose again before she replied.

"Of course,"

* * *

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for reading this far! I'm afraid to tell you that I only have a handful of chapters left to write, and I would love to know what you all think might happen next or what you think about what has happened so far! Please please please review, I love reading them!

Love and kisses,

ImagineHP


	27. Love and Loss

Love and Loss

Lily held the crinkled card in her shaking hands. The blue ink lettering was blotchy and smeared. Many an hour she had spent crying over it. But not anymore. She had finally made peace with herself. She could no longer live in agony because of the choices of her sister. When it had been legible, the writing had issued an invitation to Petunia and Vernon's wedding. Lily had received her invitation in the same way as all the other guests, as she was that unimportant to her sister. She was invited at the same time as distant relatives, estranged school friends, and that uncle that no one likes. Her mother had explained that Petunia had told Vernon about her 'condition' (her magical ability) and that he had insisted that she played no part in the wedding. She was allowed to attend, with a plus one, but was not a bridesmaid like her and Tuney had always planned.

 _Plus one._ She had thought a long time about that. She had discussed the subject at length with Tigs, who had always been there for her, but had also found herself confiding the most in James. Tigs and Lily had many lessons with James and Remus, as they had done last year, but with Tigs and Remus now an item, Lily and James had only become closer. While she knew she could ask any of the girls in her dorm, Lily felt that she could only ask James.

* * *

 _Something in the way she moves_

 _Attracts me like no other lover_

 _Something in the way she woos me_

The sound from the Beatles record James had borrowed from Remus drifted lazily through the empty dorm. James lay back on his bed and listened. He had become obsessed with this song. It just seemed to resonate with his feelings. He believed, despite knowing it couldn't possibly be true, that the song must have been written about Lily. While it was utterly impossible, to him it couldn't have been written about anyone else. He had felt a change in himself recently, something new was creeping in through his veins, infecting his very soul. Love. He was in love. It had scared him at first. He didn't know what it was. He had thought he knew how love felt, that he'd been feeling it for years, but he was so wrong. Yes, he'd had a crush on Lily for years. But now he loved her. And that felt so different.

* * *

"You look beautiful," said Tigs, sitting on Lily's bed, watching her applying makeup.

"I feel miserable," replied Lily, her voice trembling with emotion.

"It's just one day Lil'," said Tigs, taking her friends hand, "It'll be over before you know it."

"It won't. This will last a lifetime. It feels as though I'm going to her funeral," Lily took a shaky breath, "I'm losing her Tigs. That's how it feels. For all this time I've prayed she'd see senses, that she would see him for what he is and stop her vendetta against me, today is the end of any hope I ever had. She's making the biggest mistake of her life and everyone is supposed to be happy about it,"

"I know Lil', just don't give him the satisfaction," Tigs smiled and stroked Lily's cheek, "Chin up girly,"

Lily managed a weak smile in return. She hated that she couldn't be happy for her sister, that she felt all nervous and screwed up inside, but she just couldn't shake the feeling of impending disaster. She was incredibly grateful for the intrusion of an owl flying in through the open window. It was Tigs' owl, Henry, and it dropped a large parcel on the bed, before hopping over to Lily, who usually gave him a treat.

"Hello Henry," she said, stroking his feathers. Tigs glanced at the parcel absentmindedly before dumping it into the top drawer of her bedside table and pulling out some treats for Henry.

"Do you want to feed him Lil'?" she asked, and when Lily nodded, passed her the bag of treats. Lily's mind was all over the place, jumping from one thing to the next, yet she found herself oddly calm while feeding Henry. It was a good distraction.

* * *

James and Lily walked to Hogsmeade in near silence. It was a Saturday, but trips to Hogsmeade had not begun yet, so they treaded the familiar path to the town alone. It had been a long time since silence between them had stopped being awkward, it felt as though they could convey as much of their feelings when not talking as they could during a conversation. There was a huge degree of understanding between them. They walked hand in hand, almost subconsciously, and only really noticed when they came to apparate. Lily felt herself blush, and turned her face away in embarrassment.

After disapparating, the young witch and wizard found themselves outside a quaint little church in Cokeworth, a small parade of people buzzing around outside. Vernon Dursley stood out the front, the beetroot colour of his face accentuated by the stark white of his dress shirt, his neck and numerous chins spilling over the top of its tight collar. He wasn't frowning, which was odd for Lily to see, and his mouth was stretched into a gross looking smile. He was chatting with his equally bullish looking friends, letting out loud and exaggerated laughs which caused his face to jiggle. Lily could feel anger boiling inside of her on sight of him.

"Is _that_ him?" asked James, nodding in Vernon's direction.

"Yep," replied Lily.

" _Jesus_ ," breathed James, "He might hate magic, but he's definitely part troll." Lily attempted to stifle a laugh, but failed, and snorted very loudly. Vernon's gaze snapped round, his piggy eyes searching for the source of the sound. When they landed on Lily and James, his face screwed up and he whispered something to one of his friend, who sniggered. Lily felt her stomach drop, so she turned and walked straight into the church. James felt his wand arm twitch, but resisted the urge to hex Vernon and followed Lily into the church.

Lily was sat on a pew towards the back of the church, her peach coloured dress brightening up the room. James sat down next to her and took her hand in his. She rested her head on his shoulder, James really wanted to kiss her, to tell her to leave, to stop torturing herself, but he knew that wasn't what she needed.

* * *

The church filled up quickly, Vernon's family all instantly recognisable. His side of the church all looked exactly like him, with the only variations being hairstyle and clothing choice. When Petunia finally arrived, the church was spilling over with anticipation and slight irritation. Lily could imagine how she would've behaved all morning, Petunia would have wanted everything just-so, and will have settled for nothing less than perfection all round. She arrived shrouded in a mountain of ruffled organza in rather yellow cream colour. The dress was incredibly fashionable, but Lily hated it. It was so tacky. She could imagine Vernon boasting about how much the wedding cost, everything from the dress to her tacky chunky diamond ring. Lily's heart twinged when she caught sight of the bridesmaids, who were made of some of Petunia's oldest friends, and Vernon's sister Marge, who looked incredibly uncomfortable stuffed into the tight yellow dress Petunia had chosen. It was strange, because, as she watched them, Lily found that she had no longer had any urge to accompany them. At first, she thought it was just her dislike for the bridesmaid's dresses (yellow never was her colour), but, as the ceremony continued, she realised it ran deeper than that. She was letting her sister go, she had finally accepted it. She still didn't like it, but she finally had let it go.

* * *

Tigs leant on the headboard of her bed, Remus' arm around her shoulder. They had just finished writing a potions essay, the long pieces of parchment lying at the end of the bed. Remus got up and placed a record on the turntable, just as Amelia entered the dorm.

"How'd it go Mil?" asked Tigs, as her friend plonked down on the bed next to her.

"It wasn't good," she sighed, "She's still saying she doesn't want to see me, that it was all a mistake. She said I pressured her into a relationship and that she's not really like that."

"For god's sake," replied Tigs, rolling her eyes.

"I think her parents found out about it," continued Amelia, "That's why she's acting like this. She told me that she really didn't want her mum to find out because she'd never accept her,"

"How did it get back to her parents?" asked Tigs.

"I have no idea,"

"Did your parents hear about it?"

"I honestly don't know Tigs, I think they've always known though. My dad especially. They don't mind,"

Tigs reached out her hand and rubbed Amelia's arm.

"I'm so sorry Mil," she said, "No one deserves this, it's just not fair. I don't understand how you could ever hate someone because of who they love."

Amelia simply shrugged, "I don't get it either Tigsy,"

* * *

"I don't think I can stand another minute here," said Lily, as her and James stood by the bar in the social club where the wedding reception was held. They had lasted throughout the entire ceremony, the three course meal, which had involved speeches that all strategically avoided mentioning Lily. Stories of Petunia's childhood had Lily neatly edited out of them, any reference to the family only spoke of their parents, and no mention of Lily was made when the toasts were given. It was clear that the rift had taken its toll on Lily's parents, as they both gave her sympathetic glances during the meal, and came to speak to her whenever they could. Lily, however, had become rather apathetic. The rest of Lily's family were rather happy to see her, and to meet who they assumed was her boyfriend. James was as charming as usual, with only Vernon and Marge taking a dislike to him, despite neglecting to talk to either him or Lily all day.

"Shall we go?" replied James, and Lily nodded.

"I'll just say goodbye."

* * *

Lily and James bade farewell to everyone, Petunia only replying with a rather rude nod. Unlike on the journey towards the wedding, James and Lily chatted all the way down the path up to Hogwarts. Lily felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, the day that had haunted her since its inception was gone. She was free. She felt giddy. She held James' hand consciously this time. She didn't know if he still liked her in that way, or whether they were just friends. She hoped for the former. They followed their feet through the castle, both of them repressing the feelings that their time left in the school was limited, and that they would soon leave the place they had called home for so long, and never return. Lily could not imagine retuning home, or leaving her friends. She needed them. James felt the same. The Marauder's had always been there for him, though thick and thin. And how could he leave Remus to cope on his own every full moon?

They reached the portrait hole quickly, and entered the Common Room. It was dark, just a few embers glowing in the fireplace.

"Thank you so much for coming with me James," said Lily, turning to face him, "I couldn't have done it without you."

"You could," said James, moving a piece of hair out of her face, "You're so much stronger than you think Lily." It was odd for Lily to hear her name on his lips, although he must have said it numerous times before, she was so used to him calling her 'Evans'. She stared up at him, her nose millimetres away from his. It was strange, because at the time she didn't know she loved him, but, looking back, she knew that was the night she had fallen for him.

* * *

Hi everyone!

I'm so sorry I took so long to update! I've been very busy recently and I had so much writer's block for this chapter but i finally got it up. I feel so bad, but I promise the next update is coming soon and there is only a few more chapters until the end. Please please please review!

Thanks so much cuties,

ImagineHP


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